Ikite Yuku Doko Made Mo
by Someone-Stole-Satan
Summary: Love is a journey. Sakura and Syaoran would know. They're on a Eurotrip and what better an adventure to discover their true feelings. Will they realize them in time? What tragedy awaits them?
1. Chapter One: Vacation's Out!

**Ikite Yuku Doko Made Mo**

**Chapter One: Vacation's Out!**

**Disclaimer: I dread this part of every fan fiction-admitting that I do not own CCS or any  
other characters that may happen to appear from other manga/anime series'. I can always  
rant about myself owning the plot though...-rubs hands together maliciously-  
No, I won't keep you waiting...here's my latest fiction.  
Remember to review, 'cause a fan fiction isn't worth the hassle if no one's reading...**

**If you're wondering what the title means it is Japanese for "Wandering to the ends of the Earth".  
It seemed to fit my plot perfectly, so I stole it from a Japanese song. looks ashamed  
If you wanna check out the song, be my guest-it's called "Fukai Mori" ("Deep Forest"). It's from  
the Inuyasha soundtrack-the second opening song to the TV series. Oh wait, was it closing?**

**Summary: He refused to admit his love for her, but she remained true to her feelings. Sakura is  
on a Euro trip to catch a break from her hard life back in Tomoeda. On the way she encounters Syaoran Li,  
secretly known as General Xiao Lang of China's army. A story of how time can torture people hiding from the truth...  
Can Syaoran admit his love to Sakura before she is taken by the darkness?**

"I can't believe he proposed!" Sakura exclaimed, only a bit disappointed as she chatted with Tomoyo Daidouji-her best friend-on the phone.

Tomoyo, being the smart, sensitive friend, caught the disappointment in Sakura's voice, "So what's bugging you?"

Sakura sighed, _No use lying. _She was a little ashamed of her selfishness. "I-well-you won't be able to go through with the vacation plans, will you?"

"Says who?"

"Nani?"

"I can still come-in fact Eriol, my dear fiancée, is coming as well." Tomoyo replied.

Sakura smiled, trust Tomoyo to remain loyal to her friends. She suddenly knew what this meant-not as much time as she wanted to spend with Tomoyo. It didn't matter though; Tomoyo was still coming! Sakura felt a catch somewhere in the midst, "what did Eriol do?" she asked suspiciously.

Tomoyo giggled, "Not much-he just got a refund on all of our tickets and bought First Class for the three of us, instead."

Sakura gasped, "Oh no he didn't! He shouldn't have bought mine! Oh! Now I totally owe him!"

"No-you owe me."

"Oh, alright."

"You owe me _one_ favour."

Sakura sweat dropped, "Is that all?"

"Trust me, it'll be big when the time comes." Tomoyo said.

"Knowing you, it's modeling your clothing." Sakura suggested uneasily.

"Hey! All designers need to test out their clothing on amateur models first!"

"Amateur, eh?" Sakura sighed. "I've been hearing that for eight years now. I feel old."

"Relax, you're only eighteen," Tomoyo pointed out.

"And done high school, for that matter. It's gonna be a pain-university, that is." Sakura complained.

"Why _are_ you going to university?" Tomoyo asked for the umpteenth time that week.

"Hey, I haven't been getting good marks for nothing! I'm done with night school for dance, so I figure if I can get a degree for teaching, I'll keep my options open." Sakura paused, "It would be great teaching a class of grade fours, like Mizuki-sensei did at one time. I miss her. She was a _great_ teacher."

"You know your singing career will be great! I just don't understand why you _need_ your options open." Tomoyo encouraged, "You're working way too hard in honour of your father."

Sakura would not let Tomoyo sense her sadness. Losing her father to his archeological work was too much to bear at times. "Y-yeah." Sakura stuttered, holding back the tears and sobs as she remembered the last breath her father took in the hospital before the mysterious disease from the Mayan tombs claimed him. "Listen, I have to go-I'll s-see you tomorrow."

"Uh, Sakura. when Eriol changed the seats he also changed the date of our flight-we're leaving tomorrow." Tomoyo informed Sakura quickly.

"Oh no! I better start packing!" Sakura excused herself from the phone. "Bye."

"See ya."

---

Sakura stared at the suitcase she had packed. On top of all her clothing was a picture of her mother and her father on their wedding day. Sakura shuddered, ignoring the sharp shards of pain aimed at her heart. She hadn't cried the day her father stopped breathing. She hadn't cried the day of the funeral. She hadn't cried any day after. She would certainly not cry now.

The trip to Europe would do her some good. Sakura unfolded the trip brochure and red it over as she had done so many times before. She had always wanted to travel around Europe, and the wrinkles on the brochure were proof of it.

**YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS COULD ENJOY  
THIS FABULOUS EURO TRIP!  
Limited offer-you and your friends can register for our tour of Europe!  
See Italy, Ireland, Switzerland, England, Germany, France and Greece!  
Only designated airport cities that support Four Seasons or hotels interconnected with  
Four Seasons will be available for touring. See list below. Five day stays, must remain  
with tour groups at appropriate hotel. Fees for flight to the tour group's  
nominated meeting area in Hong Kong must be paid separately.**

**Destinations:  
Athens, Greece  
Milan, Italy  
Davos, Switzerland  
Paris, France  
Berlin, Germany  
London, England  
Dublin, Ireland  
  
All destinations are in order of Euro trip visit. **

Sakura smiled, weakly. She didn't think her father would approve of such a vacation, but Tomoyo had insisted that she take a break. She even used her father's career against her. "Your father always loved traveling-you should too!" She laughed to herself, imagining Tomoyo's voice echoing throughout her head. Ever since her father had died Tomoyo was like family to her, despite her brother's consistent play throughout her life. Touya and Tomoyo were always there for her when she was down. Though Touya was a great brother, Tomoyo was Sakura's confidant. When things went down like the loss of a boyfriend or failing a huge test, Sakura would rely on Tomoyo's reassurance, not Touya's. After all, Touya would say "Good riddance that brat is gone" or "It was just one test". However, Tomoyo could never help Sakura when it came to the loss of her father-_never_.

Sakura fell asleep remembering the times she had spent with her father-even the awful moments in her life. It didn't matter to her provided he was there by her side...all the time.

---

The next morning, Sakura Kinomoto awoke to the slamming and thumping of Touya downstairs. Sakura groaned, _Asshole knows I'm asleep!_ She got changed quickly and spent at least half an hour doing her hair. She only stopped when Touya yelled to her after picking up the phone that had rung minutes before.

"KAIJUU!" he boomed.

"WHAT!?" she raced to the stairway.

Touya, handsome as ever, was standing at the bottom of the stairs, holding the phone grumpily.

"Who is it?" Sakura stumbled down the stairs, straightening her mini skirt.

Touya gazed at the emerald-eyed beauty, "I'm not telling. Why don't you find out? And do you have to wear such short skirts? I mean some guy might think of-"

Sakura growled under her breath and yanked the phone away from her brother. She stuck out her tongue as she held the phone to her ear. She figured it would be Tomoyo calling about their flight plans for that evening. "Ohayou-gozaimasu!" **A.N. Good morning (polite)**

"Ohayou, Watashi wa JapanSound shusshin desu." the man on the other end said cheerily. **A.N. Good morning (informal), I am from JapanSound.**

"Oh! How are you!?" Sakura said anxiously.

"Genki-desu, anata wa?" he asked in return. **A.N. I'm fine, and you?**

"Great!" Sakura exclaimed a little too excitedly. "And what a pleasure it is to receive your call. For what reason, may I ask, do I receive such pleasure?"

"Kochira koro. I'm calling with regards to your CD production request. It was sent by your agent last week, I presume." he said formally.

"Yes, it was."

"Well, frankly-" the man laughed. He sounded young. Maybe a little older than Sakura. She wondered if he was cute. Then she slapped herself for thinking it. "-are you okay?"

"Oh, of course!" Sakura exclaimed, "Gomen, just a little excited." **A.N. Gomen Sorry (informal)**

"Ii-desu-yo," he replied. **A.N. That's okay **"Anyway, frankly, your rough CD make was excellent! With a little bit of editing it could've been ready for sales! We want you to start recording for us next week..." he informed, happily.

Sakura held in her squeal of delight, but ended up squealing anyway. "Oh! Thank you so much!" Then it dawned on her. Se would not be in Japan to record on time. "Oh no! I'll be gone next week!"

"Oh, well, when will you be back?" he sounded quite disappointed.

"Oh-hold on-I'm leaving today for this Euro trip, which I can't cancel now...it's about five days in each of the seven cities that we go to-er.." Sakura calculated on her fingers, gave up on that and resolved to calculating it in her head. "-I'll be gone for thirty five days! About a month..."

"Oh dear..." he sounded extremely upset, but Sakura heard a smile in his voice, seconds later. "Where in Europe?"

"Uh, Athens, Milan, Davos, Paris, Berlin, London, and Dublin." Sakura replied, apprehensively.

"Excellent!" he cried. "We have a few recording studios around Europe. You can record in Milan for the week that you are there and then I will transfer the record, personally, to London, where we should meet again for editing and finishing up. The rest you can finish recording in Japan. We can even focus on your image and making you hit it big!" the man said. "Watashi no name wa Yukio Hattori desu." **A.N. My name is Yukio Hattori**

"You must know me as Kinomoto Sakura-call me Sakura, though." she said casually.

"And you call me Yukio-I will meet you in Milan then, ne?" he stated more then asked. "You might want to take down the address of the studios."

"Yes, of course I will..." Sakura began, restlessly. Tomoyo was right. She did not need her options open. She did not need to teach. But she wanted to make her father proud.

---

"I'm so proud, Sakura!" Tomoyo exclaimed in Eriol's limousine.

Sakura blushed as passer-bys pointed and stared at the limousine, "Did we _really_ need to take the limo, Eriol?"

Eriol's smile was serene, "I insisted, didn't I?"

"Psh...gaikokujin!" Sakura rolled her eyes, rudely. **A.N. Foreigner!**

Eriol's expression didn't change, "I'm hurt."

Sakura loved irritating Eriol, though he was always sweet to her. He never really did get ticked off. He also knew that Sakura was simply upset he was going to take away her best friend from her, which he would never do to Sakura.

"So, how's Kaho, hyaku nin giri?" **A.N. Playboy ** Sakura knew mentioning Kaho Mizuki would bother him just a little. Kaho had been engaged to Eriol at one point in time. She had left him for "unknown" reasons, as Eriol put it.

Eriol stared into space, "Actually, she was asking about you the other day."

"Oh really? What was she saying?" Sakura was all ears now.

"Calling to see if you were finally relaxing..."

"Oh."

Eriol didn't say anything else. Before Sakura could further the conversation herself, they had already arrived at the Tomoeda airport.

---

"So where were we supposed to meet, at the airport in Hong Kong?" Sakura turned in her seat to ask Eriol and Tomoyo. Her seat partner hadn't shown up yet, but she was glad Eriol had gotten her the window seat.

Eriol's glasses flashed at her, hiding his perfect deep, blue eyes. "In some board room that's apparently a few sectors away from our departure gate."

Tomoyo nodded, "They won't have people waiting at our arrival gate, claiming us, though. People from various different cities are coming, so we'll have to find our way to the room. Besides, I wanna check out the souvenirs at the gift shops before we meet."

Sakura sweat dropped, "Right..." she saw someone putting their hand baggage in the compartment on top of her seat. She turned back in her own seat and put on her seat belt, but she knew she could not stay still for that long in her seat. The man sat down beside her, staring at her awkwardly. Sakura tried not to notice the way he was looking at her.

"Your eyes are amazing," he commented as he buckled his own seat belt.

Sakura heard Tomoyo giggle and shot her a dangerous glare through the gap between her seat and the other man's seat. She turns to face the man again, not much older than her. She smiled, "Thanks."

"O namae wo klite-mo iidesu-ka?" he asked kindly. **A.N. May I ask for your name?**

Sakura stared into his dark brown eyes, "Do I know you?"

"Nan desu ka?" he seemed taken aback. ** A.N. Pardon?**

"Oh, gomen! It's just that your accent-your voice, it all seems so familiar." Sakura said. " I'm Kinomoto Sakura."

The man's eyes widened, "On your way to China? I thought it was a Euro trip, Sakura."

"Huh?" Sakura jumped up in her seat, only held down by her seat belt. "Oh! You're Hattori-san!"

"Please call me Yukio!" he insisted.

Sakura had to admit, utterly, that he was adorable. His hair was a soft head full of curls, that almost reminded her of a halo. "We meet the tour guides and the rest of the group in Hong Kong..." Sakura explained.

"Oh, well-I'm off to a studio in Hong Kong. After I finish off there I'm to go off to Rome-to wait for you." Yukio stated.

Sakura laughed, "Is it always work-work-work, for you?"

"Not always-but I'm determined to make you hit the high notes! If this works for us you'll be a millionaire. Your voice is magnificent!"

"I couldn't help overhearing-" Tomoyo leaned over Sakura's seat. She held out her hand toward Yukio, "-I'm Tomoyo Daidouji, Sakura's companion."

"Ah yes! You suggested her to Sakura's agent, Mr. Omara!" Yukio remembered easily. "I hear you have quite a unique voice, yourself."

Tomoyo blushed, "Well, I do sing, but my passion is in my current line of work. I'm a fashion designer."

"Remarkable-you could design Sakura's outfits-"

"Oh no! Please don't!" Sakura interrupted.

Tomoyo chuckled, "It would be a pleasure."

Eriol whispered to Tomoyo, so Sakura couldn't hear, "This will prove to be an interesting few weeks, will it not?"

"For her good, "Tomoyo sat back down in her seat.

Twenty minutes later, the plane took off for Hong Kong.

**A.N. Yay! My new fan fiction has begun! Woohoo-I'm a lazy butt! cough cough Anyway, I have a lot of Japanese dialogue, just to get the feel of regular life in Japan. I want it to be a bit more realistic. Of course, knowing me, I'll add SOME kind of action in it, including a bit of the supernatural intervening. Not much though-an author warning though. This story does contain some sort of twist that may lead to tragedy. Oh! and about the Japanese dialect-let me know if I'm off with my translations or the Romaji itself. Remember readers, review review review!!! I wanna know what you think of my new fan fiction-I'm going against my instincts here and already posting before I've finished the WHOLE story! Just because I'm so impatient...R&R!**


	2. Chapter Two: Hong Kong General

**Chapter Two: China's Commander-in-Chief**

**Disclaimer: I'm getting paid $400 a month for being my dad's assistant and working with my mom  
at the Dry Cleaner's. By the year 2018 I'll have enough money to be able to purchase CCS. Until then-I DO NOT own  
CCS, nor do I own any other characters (from other anime/manga series') that I may add in to further the humor, not the plot.**

**Special Thanks to my first reviewer for this story! It's new and I'm glad to have gotten a  
reviewer so soon after I had posted. This chapter's for you!**

**_Dedicated to Mashimaro-San_**

"It's a good thing I got his cell phone number..." Sakura said as Tomoyo raided the gift shop.

"Sure," Eriol winked.

Sakura glared, but avoided addressing the comment. "Tomoyo, can you hurry?"

"No-check it out-the China's Commander-in-Chief is on some secret vacation so no one'll bother him. I bet he's dying to get away!" Tomoyo pointed at the local newspaper. "The picture's all blurry-"

Sakura and Eriol turned to the newspaper. A man, whose face was red in anger, was pushing cameras away from his face, hiding himself. It worked-Sakura couldn't see a thing.

Sakura, being her dense self, asked, "What and _who_ is the Chinese Commander-in-Chief?"

"General of an army-Hello! Earth to Sakura! He has access to all the nuclear and destructive arms!" Eriol replied, "Such as men..."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, "How was I supposed to know!?"

"World Studies, you dunce. By the way, the current Commander-in-Chief is the Honourable Xiao Lang." Eriol said a-matter-of-factly.

"Right," Sakura rolled her eyes.

Tomoyo exited the small gift shop with a bag full of chewing gum.

"What's that for?" Sakura asked as they headed toward the board room meeting.

Tomoyo came up close to Sakura's face, "It's so you won't end up-" She boomed, "-YELLING ON THE PLANE 'CAUSE YOUR EARS ARE PLUGGED AND CRACKING!"

Sakura fell over in shock. Not of what Tomoyo had said, but at the volume of her saying it. People passing by stood, watching, with fear reflecting in their eyes. Sakura shrank at their looks and followed Tomoyo and Eriol onward.

They arrived at the board room...late. A few of the tourists coming along on the trip even gave the three disapproving looks.

Sakura slid, embarrassed, into one of the chairs at the huge rectangular table that people either sat around or stood around. Tomoyo and Eriol sat down the the two chairs beside her on her right.

"As I was saying-" one of the tour guides continued, "-We'll be staying at the Four Seasons in the city of arrival. You'll each be assigned to room mates. Because we have even amounts we've made sure that you share a room between four people. I'd like to remind you that there _are_ two king-sized beds per room. Please-be-mature! There's plenty of room for two people to share a bed." The tour guide made sure to avoid eye contact with one of the tall men in the back. Sakura figured the man's height wasn't as bad as his width. Sakura suppressed the giggles threatening to erupt at any moment.

Sakura suddenly felt like she was being watched-no-eyed. She shot glances around the room, trying to avoid turning her neck too much, until she came upon another set of suspicious eyes. She scanned the onlooker curiously. He had amber eyes, chestnut brown hair, a slight build, cute glare and a look that said he hadn't seen the sunny side of things in years.

Sakura smiled sweetly and directly at the man. He tore his glare from her to the tour guide instead, stubbornly.

_Peculiar_, she thought.

---

_Peculiar enough to have to sit by him_, she complained in her mind. _Stiff as a board, he is._

"So," Sakura turned to the amber-eyed man ten minutes after their plane had taken off for Athens. "Are you traveling alone?"

"Does it look like I'm traveling with someone?" he asked coldly, reluctant to say anything at all. "I always travel alone."

Sakura ignored his coldness and began cheerily, "You know, you're real uptight. Maybe you should just relax."

"Relaxing is such a waste of time. I should be at work." he said sternly.

He was obviously forced onto this trip, just as Sakura had been at first. Sakura was glad she wasn't _that_ dedicated to her studies and goals. She'd hate to be the grumpy man that sat before her now.

"O-kay?" Sakura replied, confused. "What's your name?"

"Xi-Li Syaoran."

"I'm Kinomoto Sakura," Sakura held out her hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

Syaoran glared at the hand extended toward him. He stared down the aisle, ignoring her hand.

Sakura took her hand back, upset. "Baka," she muttered to herself.** A.N. "Idiot"**

"Excuse me?" Syaoran turned to Sakura, glaring full blast.

"You're excused-hey! Don't stare at me!"

Syaoran had obviously not been dissed to his face in a very long time. He began to resemble an angry tomato, much like the Commander-in-Chief of China did on the cover of the newspaper, "Then stop bothering me!"

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"Uso!" Sakura yelled.** A.N. "Liar!"**

"I am not! You keep talking to me, asking stupid questions and calling me an idiot under your breath!" he answered, providing the evidence.

"Because it's friendly conversation and you're being a stupid, stiff board!"

"Calm down kids," Eriol leaned over Syaoran's seat. "People are getting scared."

"Hmph!" Sakura crossed her arms and stared out the window.

"Inpo," Syaoran whispered hoarsely. **A.N. "Impotent!" **He regretted it suddenly, but he would have to carry around the red hand mark on his face the whole day anyway.

"I'm so glad we finally get to rest!" Sakura exclaimed as she stumbled into the entrance of Four Seasons with Tomoyo, Eriol and the rest of the tourists.

Sakura groaned as she heard one of the female tour guides say something about staying in fours and picking up their keys when they had a group. She looked around to see everyone had either come in pairs or in fours already. They were doomed to be with Syaoran. She knew it. Sakura glanced at Syaoran, standing alone by a pillar and muttered to herself.

Tomoyo giggled, noticing Sakura's fury, "Looks like Li-san will be joining us."

Sakura slowed to Syaoran's pace as they walked down the hall to their room.

"Look, you can sleep on the be-"

Eriol tsked Sakura, "Be mature and share. After all, there's plenty of space!"

Sakura grumbled, thoroughly embarrassed, "Fine."

"Shut up!" Sakura said for the hundredth time to Syaoran as she ironed her clothing for the next day's tour around the old buildings. "I am so not annoying!"

_Ugh, _she thought. _Why am I here!?_

"See! It's even more annoying when you complain!" Syaoran pointed out.

Sakura put down the iron and jumped on Syaoran, ready to pound him to a bloody pulp. She couldn't help but notice that he was stronger than he looked-and skilled. He used strange techniques on her, but she ended up winning anyways because she kneed him in the groin.

"Serves you right! Picking on sweet girls like me!" She declared.

"Sweet!?" He snorted, "More like evil!...and STUPID!"

Sakura pushed him off the bed and stomped on his foot, pounding away towards the bathroom. "Tomoyo, Eriol? When are ou guys gonna be done with the bathroom!?"

"Nasty to think what's going on inside."

"Ugh! Shut up you pervert!" Sakura threw her tank at his face.

Syaoran held the tank, by the straps, between his pointer fingers and thumbs. "Your clothes touched me! Disgusting!"

Sakura grabbed her tank back, angrily, "I don't have germs or cooties..."

Syaoran laughed for the first time in front of Sakura, "Listening to your voice is worse than any germs or cooties even a cow could produce!"

"I happen to be a singer!" Sakura said indignantly.

"How come I haven't heard of you?"

"I haven't started recording yet. I get to record when we go to Milan. The editing is going to take place in London." Sakura replied cockily.

"Ha! Working while you're on vacation!?"

Sakura, annoyed past her limit, closed her eyes, sighed shakily and shook her head. "Why are you still talking to me?"

Syaoran smirked, "It annoys you, doesn't it?"

Sakura nodded, stiffly.

Syaoran's face suddenly went from a giddy I'm-glad-you-hate-me to an emotionless and unreadable expression. "Now you know how I feel."

Sakura pounced on him yet again. She claimed victory over the struggle for dominance in strength for a second time. Victorious and unbeaten, Sakura stumbled off of the bed, satisfied.

Syaoran woke up in the morning to find his bed empty. He heard someone breathing hard and for a second thought that perhaps Tomoyo and Eriol weren't just an innocent couple. He soon realized his mistake though, and glanced toward the foot of the bed.

It was Sakura's doing. She was practicing martial arts or, what Syaoran thought were, various scattered techniques. She would go from Karate to Tae Kwon Doe and to even Kung Fu. _ What was this girl!?_

That was when Syaoran noticed that she no longer wore an extra large tee. She was wearing a spandex top which ended right under her breasts and then there were the spandex shorts, which reminded Syaoran of his high school gym teacher. He shuddered. Frankly, Syaoran thought that the top looked like a sports bra and the shorts looked like another type of underwear. In his eyes, she was naked.

Sweat was dripping down Sakura's lean body as she worked herself. She felt suddenly giddy and decided to switch to gymnastics.

Syaoran was silent as Sakura did two cartwheels, a forwards flip, a backwards flip and a twirl in the air just before she landed. She was a machine. She just kept going!

"It's amazing how big these rooms are, ne?" Eriol whispered from his bed. He appeared to be asleep, but Syaoran knew he was wide awake.

Syaoran nodded when he was sure Eriol was looking at him. Tomoyo was waking up. It was funny and strange at the same time how Sakura couldn't notice these things. Even if it was a small thing-it was still something. She was obviously dense. That and the fact that she seemed to be in her own little world when she was so determined and focused.

Tomoyo clapped appraisingly as Sakura did a flip near the bed that she had shared with Syaoran.

"Huh!?" she stumbled.

Syaoran, as quick as he was, jumped to her rescue. She landed in his arms with a thud, aware that she had only hit her head slightly and had not slammed it against the wall.

"Oh! I'm sorry Sakura!" Tomoyo also jumped out of bed to help Sakura up, wondering how Sakura could've stumbled in mid-air. Eriol got caught up in the blankets as he grabbed his glasses from the bed side table and rushed over to aid Sakura as well.

Sakura pushed herself off of Syaoran's chest, groggily. She looked up at his face, dizzily, like a small baby learning how to walk. "Uh, th-thank you." She grabbed her head as she stumbled for words. It was hurting. Sakura felt two people grab both of her arms and pull her off of Syaoran.

Sakura rubbed her head, where she knew a bump would be in a few hours' time. Sakura looked at her hand, blood was smeared all over it. Her head was bleeding.

Syaoran rushed over, "Let me see that."

"Ew-Li-you're bleeding too." Sakura pointed out.

Just before Syaoran wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth away with the back of his hand, a little droplet splattered ever so lightly onto Sakura's own wound. "Mine's not as serious as yours."

Eriol looked at Sakura's wound as well, "It's not as bad as it would've been if you hadn't done that awesome move, Syaoran. You dived at least eight metres out of bed, without touching the ground one, and managed to catch Sakura mid-air." Eriol punched Syaoran's arm playfully.

Sakura pushed everyone out of her hair, "I'm fine!"

"Maybe you shouldn't go on the tour to-" Eriol began.

"I'm not letting you get rid of me _that_ easy buster!" Sakura smirked, as if she had caught Eriol in one of "his acts" to get rid of her.

"Uh, guys...if we're gonna go, we'd better go now. Or we'll have to settle being too late to go." Tomoyo pointed at the clock on the bedside table between both of the huge, unmade beds.

"It's already nine o'clock!?" Sakura yelled. She ran immediately to the bathroom, taking no notice of her recently **_exposed_** and received wound.

"Tardiness seems to spread from her like a disease or virus..." Eriol commented.

"It's beautiful!" Sakura admired. The ruins of Athena were truly a spectacular sight. In fact, they were so spectacular that she and Syaoran actually got along on the trip.

Sakura took her pictures carefully, "Tomoyo-you better take the camera. I think my fingers are blocking all the pictures I took."

"Alright-as long as we get a group pic first." Tomoyo bargained.

"But how will you-"

"My camera has a timer. Hold on." Tomoyo pulled out a tripod from out of no where.

Sakura sweat dropped, "Right...trust her to be handy and equipped with this sort of stuff."

"Okay everyone...our little room mates group picture!" Tomoyo announced, receiving groans from Syaoran and Sakura. "Oh come one you two-honestly. Okay-Eriol you stand over here." Tomoyo began, "And Sakura, you'll look good kneeling diagonally from him-in the front. Where's Syaoran? Syaoran!" Tomoyo grabbed him by the ear before he could get away. "You're kneeling in front of Eriol, right beside your dear girlfriend Sakura."

"She's not my-"

"Whatever," Tomoyo stood back to look at her work.

Sakura sweat dropped, "Is this necessary?"

"Absolu-" Tomoyo began. "Sakura! Syaoran! Closer...now!" she scolded. "Perfect...now angle yourselves so that you're kind of facing each other, but looking at the camera. There-" Tomoyo moved toward her tripod camera and pushed the timer button. She rushed over to the group to stand beside Eriol. She grabbed his hands in hers lovingly and muttered, "Three...two...one-smile!"

"What a crazy day!" Sakura commented as the tourists gathered in the lobby of the Four Seasons, yet again.

"As you know, we're spending five days in each city," one tour guide, by the name of Sachiko, began to say. "The first day of the tour in the cities we will visit will consist of looking back at the city's history from the present's eyes. The second day is, of course, the exploration of the modern part of the city and its economy. We'll probably end up touring museums, universities, and the malls or marketplaces-if we find the time to." Sachiko smiled at a girl who began squealing at the word 'mall'. Sachiko cleared her throat, "Anyway, the third day consists of exploring the language and culture of the particular country the city is situated in. I've got to admit that it may be the best part of the tour." Sachiko winked at Sakura, who seemed excited by the idea of exploring another country's culture and language.

Another tour guide stepped up. He was male.

"I'm Masuyo and I'll be sort of the health inspector and security guard-type of guide." he began. "The fourth day will always be a _free_ day for you folks. For those of you that wish to go out and party or the like, there _is _a curfew. I want all of you back in the Four Seasons hotel by 11:30 p.m. I know that when you signed the papers for this trip it said we were not responsible if you got lost, but we'd like to keep an eye on you guys anyway. I expect you wouldn't want to be stuck in Athens while we're in Zurich or something."

Everyone laughed, bit nervously of the thought of it happening, but it seemed to ease the tension anyway.

Sachiko continued, "The last day is a day that we have left for you to dedicate yourselves to packing-I hope. This is the day you should get rest as well as ready to go, because that very same night we'll leave the country for our next destination." There was a bit of an uproar or murmur at this, across the room. Sachiko was good at ignoring this sort of thing and continued her point, "Be wary that food, gifts and clothing prices will not be covered in the total fee of this tour. The only food that will be bought and paid for is from the hotel or plane."

The well-built man standing at the side stepped up now, "For those individuals that need something more organized and active to do on your free days in whichever designated area we may be in, we _are_ offering athletic programs. In Athens we will focus on track and field games." Sachiko coughed unnecessarily.

Sakura realized why two seconds after. It seemed that this handsome man was hitting on her by..._touching_ her. Sakura stifled a well-deserved giggle, her eyes watering.

He continued, "In Milan we'll be into hardcore cross country. Davos-ah Davos! Yes, that is a trip dedicated solely to skiing. Oh-and Paris! It's not only dedicated to Disneyland, but even a bit of dancing lessons. So sign up all you couples! Berlin-we'll most likely go backpacking or hiking around their natural wooded areas. In London we won't have time to do much, but for those of you that are desperate for some action, I've reserved a field for soccer." This perverted tour guide paused to catch his breath, getting caught up in the excitement of what was in the near future and the fact that Sachiko was responding to his constant attempts. What he didn't realize was that she was responding negatively. "And lastly, there's Dublin! I was thinking it would be great to explore rural areas and maybe learn how to ride a horse. Maybe we can even have horse races if we master the art of horse-back riding."

This man was _too_ athletic, Sakura decided.

"Whoever feels their up for one of these, two of these, all of these-how many ever! Sign up on this sheet," he waved a sign up-sheet at them.

Sakura, as well as some others, raced up to other side of the lobby, where the perverted tour guide and Sachiko were standing.

"Sakura!" Tomoyo called, "Don't sign up for London! We have to go shopping!"

Sakura rolled her eyes, as she glanced down at the sign up sheet. "Hm, Athens." Sakura signed under it. She signed the list under that as well, "Davos..." Then she signed up for Paris, Berlin and Dublin while she was at it. Sakura called back to Tomoyo, "Want me to sign you and Eriol up for anything!?"

Tomoyo paused and nodded, "Davos and Paris!"

Sakura did so and handed the pen to-Syaoran. Sakura tried her best to stay pleasant and smiled, "Which ones are _you_ going to?"

Syaoran snatched the pen from her hand, "All of them."

"You're not gonna shop with us in London then?" Sakura gave him a fake frown, and a bit of what she thought was a convincing pout.

Syaoran, knowing his sister's fake pouts well enough, stomped off grumpily, "Right!"

"Hey, pretty harsh..." the well-built, perverted tour guide commented and then looked down at the sheet. "Everywhere except London eh...er..Sakura? You seem quite the active cutie."

Sakura blushed, "Yup."

Tomoyo joined Sakura as the crowd was dispersing. "Yeah, she even hurt her head doing gymnastics this morning in our room."

Eriol, who had branched off from another crowd had joined them as well and laughed, "Not to mention she was doing Kung Fu, Karate, Tae Kwon Doe, and who knows what else!"

The tour guide laughed, "Don't let Masuyo know that-he'll find some way to ban sports and will probably blow a gasket or two!" The tour guide held out his hand to shake with Sakura's. There was a scar right in the middle. It seemed that something else should have been there in place of the scar, but Sakura ignored it and shook his hand back. "I'm Miroku."

Sakura felt the scar rub against the soft of her palm. She shuddered. "Sakura..."

"I know-beautiful name, by the way. As are your eyes!" Miroku commented, shamelessly. "Would you care to join me for dinner?" He asked it quite bluntly.

"I-I-" Sakura blushed even redder than she had when she had first kissed a boy. "Okay."

Tomoyo giggled and dragged Eriol away from the two of them.

"I'll pick you up at your door at 9:30," Miroku suggested.

"Okay..." Sakura was left speechless, as Miroku joined the other tour guides. Sakura stumbled to her room, unaware of where she was going or what she was going to wear. Sakura decided then and there that she would never hear the end of it if she even _attempted_ to ask Tomoyo if she could wear one of her many wacky and pretty costumes for these type of occasions.

"This looks so kawaii!" Tomoyo exclaimed.

Sakura snorted, "I look like a slut."

"Got that right," Syaoran added, staring at his book, long and hard.

"Who asked you!?" Sakura yelled.

He shrugged, "Just stating the truth as the unbiased eye would see it."

Sakura looked down at the plain, black seductive dress. It had just one wavy strap and the dress ended a few inches above her knees. The dress also had a built-in bra that made Sakura look like she had _a_ _lot_ of cleavage.

Sakura frowned at Syaoran, "I think I'll go with this dress. Anything he doesn't like _must_ look good on me."

Tomoyo beamed, "That's the spirit Sakura!"

Sakura jumped when the door rattled as a person knocked. She turned to Syaoran to say one last thing, "By the way, you're reading your book upside down."

Syaoran blushed and stared harder still at his book, denying he ever heard her.

"You better go!" Tomoyo pushed Sakura towards the door.

Sakura grabbed a shawl and swung it over her shoulders. "Here I go," she breathed. She opened the door to find Miroku standing in an attractively casual pose, in a suit, holding a bouquet of roses. He looked incredibly handsome.

Miroku handed Sakura the roses and kissed her cheek. He then hooked his arm with hers, "Shall we go?"

Sakura nodded sweetly.

Syaoran shuddered. He had a bad feeling about that guy.

"The food was great," Sakura noted uneasily.

Miroku nodded, "So-are you from Japan?"

Sakura grinned, "Of course-doesn't my name make it obvious? I live in Tomoeda. Tomoyo made me come-" Sakura explained. "She says I don't get vacations like this very often."

Miroku signed the bill and got up, "How about we take a walk?"

"Sure..." Sakura followed him out of the restaurant. They walked, silently, side-by-side, along the road.

"You know, I really want to ask you something."

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

Miroku stopped and grabbed Sakura's hands in his own, "Will you, Sakura, bear my child?"

Sakura sweat dropped, bet her reply could not be heard over the shouting.

"You idiot!" Syaoran yelled. "What kind of a messed up, selfish pervert are you!?" He kicked Miroku in the knee.

"Huh?" Sakura was lost, "Where did you come from?"

"From behind that building, "Syaoran gestured with his eyes.

"Hey! Ow..." Miroku fell to the ground.

Syaoran aimed a punch, but Sakura stood in front of Miroku, her arms outstretched. "Stop it!" She knelt over to help Miroku up. She suddenly felt someone rubbing her behind. Sakura, following her girlish-instincts, slapped Miroku and walked away from him, upset.

"Stupid, horny bast-" She grumbled, cut off by Syaoran's roars.

"I told you!" Syaoran walked with her, back to the hotel.

"What would you care!? You were just trying to ruin it for me-following me around like that! What is your problem!?" Sakura yelled at Syaoran.

Syaoran stopped in his tracks, "If it wasn't for me, that pervert would have taken advantage of you!"

"I would've been fine on my own!" she screamed.

"Fine! Whatever! See if I care! I won't help _you_ again!"

"You never did!" Sakura whipped off her shoes and held them in her hands as she ran to the hotel, across the street, upset.

"Watch out!" Syaoran jumped and pushed her aside. The truck stopped just in time. He helped Sakura up. "Don't run across the road like that!"

Sakura was in tears, "It's-it's -all-all-" she sniffled, "-mm-y fault! Why-do I always attract men--like th-that st-stupid-d M-Miroku!?"

Syaoran felt a sudden thud against his chest. Sakura cried softly into his chest.

He sighed, knowing that he could never think of being angry with her at this time. It wasn't right. He held her into his chest and led her through to the hotel lobby, where he made sure she was safe with him.

**A.N.: Is that the start of something!?!? wink wink Meh-not yet. Trust a soft-hearted Syaoran and very emotional Sakura to somehow end up a couple. Anyway, if you haven't already guessed, Miroku is a character from Inuyasha I decided to use, because it's just so. FUN! Besides, what good is a story without comical relief---somehow? He may have started a bit of an uproar of emotions, but he's still funny!!! **

**Okay, so it's taken me over two months to update! Sorry people...or person...lol. I don't think many people read this fanfic...meh. Just enjoy. You're in for a hell of a "soap operaish" the supernatural romance thing going on. I dunno...it'll work out somehow.**

**OC (OlwenCheesecake)**

**Cuz it's yummy.**


	3. Chapter Three:The First of Many

**Chapter Three: The First of Many**

**Disclaimer: Don't own CCS. Don't own IY. Don't own the song Owari nai Yume.  
Don't own so much, yet here I am-using it all.  
Enjoy.**

"Says here we're in the Glyfada suburbs of Athens. Not that much of a high class hotel, here in Athens. Oh! Paris' Four Seasons is heaven on Earth!" Eriol said looking at the package of brochures they had taken with them from the tour's lounge meeting.

Tomoyo grabbed the brochure, "Hey! We have a roof garden-do you wanna go see it?"

Eriol sighed, "Is _that_ where Sakura went?"

"With Li-san?"

"Ye-"

"I think he's showing Sakura some of his own moves now." Tomoyo daydreamed.

"Why type of moves?" Eriol winked.

Tomoyo laughed, snapping herself back to reality. "I don't kno-"

"How about I show you some of MY moves?"

"I dare you!" Tomoyo giggled, mischievously.

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"Oh come on! That was such a wimpy punch!" Syaoran laughed.

Sakura growled and aimed for his eye.

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"So? Where did you get the black eye, Li-san?" Tomoyo asked uneasily on the bus to downtown Athens.

"It's so beautiful today!" Sakura commented about the bright sun, pretending she hadn't heard Tomoyo ask Syaoran anything. Though, no guilt emanated from her.

"I think we get off here," Syaoran muttered.

The bus came to a halt. The tour group got off at the stop. They followed their tour guides around the roads and sidewalks, where they introduced the museums and colleges of the city.

"Look mama!" one little girl pointed at the group. "Polloi xenos!" **A.N. Knowing my crappy way of putting ungrammatical sentences together-it's wrong, but it's intended to say "many foreigner". If it's wrong and you know the right Greek way of saying that-PLEASE tell me.**

"Hush! Do not be rude, Hermione." the mother hushed. She looked up and smiled at Sakura.

Sakura mirrored the mother's sweet smile.

Sakura winced. A garbled thought struck her mind. She hardly understood it, but knew what it meant. She was thinking in another language-but it was not her own thoughts.

_She's so pretty_, it said. Sakura could hardly tell it was another language at all.  
_That thought does not belong to me, does it? _Sakura thought to herself. Her head began to hurt where he had bumped it the day before. Pain shot through her body and down her spine. She gritted her teeth, trying to ignore it.

_I wonder if they can understand us..._ A man's voice echoes in her mind this time.  
Sakura panicked. She was hearing voices! She pinched her arm, while walking behind Tomoyo.

"Kinomoto, what the hell are you doing?" Syaoran looked at her awkwardly, prying his eyes (as well as Sakura's) away from Sachiko, who had suddenly and openly grabbed a random person's blonde hair, observing it-feeling it.

Sakura paled, "N-n-nothing."

_Liar._

"I am not a liar!" Sakura screeched.

Syaoran's eyes narrowed, as if trying to understand something as well as be angry, "I didn't say you were."

"But-er-!" Sakura searched for an excuse for her mistake. "Your facial expression suggested so!"

Syaoran's brow loosened, "I thought I was quite expressionless."

"I know you well Li Syaoran," Sakura scolded. "Asshole."

It worked.

Syaoran was focused on putting Sakura down with a force a thousand times stronger than her own had been.

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"Now we're going to focus on the culture of Athens. We've gone over their language and I'm sure you all are fed up with that. So here's the thing, we'll focus on clothing for the culture bit, as well as food." Sachiko began, in the lobby of the Four Season's hotel.

Tomoyo was hopping up and down with joy, clapping her hands.

"There will be a contest between groups of four. Each group must create their own old-style Greek costumes for two of the group members to model. I would prefer a female and male model in each group. So, if you're an all-girl group or all-boy group, consider switching some people around." Sachiko pulled out a box from behind her. Several other boxes, very similar, sat behind her on the floor. "We will provide you with materials. You will find what you need in these boxes. One box per group."

Masuyo cleared his throat to hush their whispers, "As for the prize...it'll be a whole pack of souvenirs provided by the Four Season's hotel in Athens."

Sachiko smiled at everyone, eyeing Sakura in particular, for some reason. "You may begin."

Tomoyo immediately pounced on Sakura, "I already have your size...so let's see what colour will suit you."

"I think the pale cream colour with gold rimming," Eriol suggested, looking into the box he had brought over for them.

"Excellent!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "And for Syaoran?"

"Plain white," Eriol said.

"Hey, I'm not-" Syaoran was being hauled to the elevators by Tomoyo.

"Yes, we'll have to fix up that eye of yours before we decide to put white on you..."

Sakura couldn't resist her nagging thoughts-even biting her lip wouldn't help.

"I think my cover up will serve well on him-almost the same colour as his skin." Sakura blurted.

Tomoyo smiled, "Why thank you Sakura!"

Syaoran growled at her.

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"Grr," Syaoran stood like a scarecrow in his Greek robes, just two hours later.

"Stop standing like that!" Tomoyo complained.

Sakura sweat dropped, "Why is this so revealing?" She looked down at the sheets of cloth shaped around her perfect body.

Tomoyo ignored Sakura.

"Let me just adjust your adorable Caesar crown!" Tomoyo made grabbing motions towards Syaoran's head, who was pushing her away with one hand, but couldn't hold her down for long. Tomoyo triumphantly turned to Sakura, "And YOU! Your blossoms are out of place!"

"Come down Tomoyo-chan," someone said from the front door of the quartet's hotel room. It was Sachiko.

Tomoyo blushed, "Well, you know me and fashion..."

"Unfortunately, I do."

"What do you mean you _know _her?" Syaoran asked suspiciously. "We hardly even talk to you-"

"Syaoran!" Sakura burst. "Don't be so rude!"

"No, it's ok." said Sachiko. "Tomoyo is an old friend of mine from..."

"...University. We studied together in our Economics classes." Tomoyo shrugged. "No biggie-promised her I'd show up for one her tours is all. And she promised me some practice. So here it is; Greek robes!"

"Anyway," Sachiko changed the subject. "Didn't mean for you guys to find out. We didn't think it best for people to know we had a connection."

Eriol cleared his throat, "Well, Sachiko...I expect we should be going down soon."

"Yes-now, in fact." Sachiko smiled thankfully at for Eriol changing the subject. She turned to leave, "See you in the lobby."

Sakura's hot gaze fell upon Tomoyo, who inched away slowly, for her life.

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"Next up is Li Syaoran and Kinomoto Sakura modeling clothing designed and handmade by Hiiragizawa Eriol and Daidouji Tomoyo." Masuyo began as Sakura and Syaoran came trotting down the 'runway' they had set up. He continued, "They call their creations..." Masuyo stifled his laughter. "'The Empire Strikes Back'."

Eriol snickered.

Tomoyo looked upset, "You changed it!"

Sakura almost fell over when she heard the title of their outfits. She and Syaoran walked back to the last two models waiting to be called up.

"Lastly, we have Arai Ume and Eto Nobu modeling Hino Suki and Miura Akio's creations called 'Royalty'." Masuyo completed the fashion show. "And will the judges please give in the results of their votes for the fashion show in five minutes time?"

"Of course," Sachiko said.

Five minutes went by like five seconds would.

Tomoyo sighed, "I really liked Tomiko's colours."

Eriol patted Tomoyo's head, "Your designs are always the best to me."

Tomoyo smiled.

"And the winner of the Four Season's in Athens souvenir prize pack is..." Masuyo unfolded the crumpled paper the judges had handed him. "Li, Kinomoto, Daidouji and Hiiragizawa!"

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_It's the fourth day and I'm already getting sick of him_, Sakura thought. _I wonder why I was hearing things that day_-Sakura broke away from her thoughts.

"Throw the friggin' shot put!" Syaoran yelled in Sakura's face.

"Oh!" Sakura ran and threw as best she could. "That was heavy."

"Hah! I beat ya!"

Sakura was only slightly annoyed and decided to challenge him to taker her mind off things, "I'll beat you at discus."

"No way!" Syaoran raced her to the box full of discus'.

_Interesting_, Miroku thought. _They seem to have fallen in step with one another and soon-to-be-in love..._

Sakura felt pain surge through her head to her spinal cord. She turned and glared at Miroku, caught up in a moment of emotion. She would know his voice anywhere. She threw her discus aside and attacked Miroku-head on!

_She's a little _grumpy_ today_, Syaoran thought.

Sakura got off of Miroku and swerved to face Syaoran, who was clutching his discus in utter amusement. The look of amusement became a look of horror and Sakura's wrath seeped over to him.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"N-nothing?"

Sakura realized what was happening immediately after the bewildered faces of her companions calmed her down a little. She felt her temples burn and her palms, as an immediate reaction, squashed her head between them. Sakura ran as fast as she could to the change rooms, unable to stand the swerving ground or the nausea that was seizing her. She couldn't let her mind get the best of her.

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"She hasn't talked to Syaoran for a _whole_ day," Tomoyo commented to Eriol as they buckled their seat belts on the plane.

Sakura was staring out of her window, upset. "I can hear you Tomoyo."

"And now she's got super-hearing abilities!" Tomoyo continued to whisper even lower to Eriol.

"I heard that too."

"See?" Tomoyo's eyes widened, in sarcastic disbelief.

"Yes, I see..."

Tomoyo was concerned, nevertheless, "I even offered money to bug her, but he said he'd do it for free any day! Not even his rambling has gotten her to come out of this state, Eriol. I'm worried for her...I just _know_ something's wrong."

"She'll be just fine when we get to Milan," Eriol stated. "Won't you, Sakura?"

Sakura didn't even show an indication of having heard, she just mumbled, "Whatever."

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"And this is Milan's Four Season's Hotel..." Sachiko began.

"It's huge!" One tourist exclaimed.

Sakura looked less grumpy, and more pleasant. She seemed to be going through some sort of "PMSing" stage. At least, that's what Syaoran thought. And for some reason, when he thought it, Sakura twitched. But she didn't say anything or show the slightest bit of emotion until they had reached their new room...where she unpacked her best clothes, whistling a happy tune.

"What are you doing, Kinomoto?" Syaoran demanded.

"Have to look good for the recording!" Sakura rushed to the bathroom.

"Oh," he said to no one in particular.

These past few days had been quite a change. And he didn't mind it. He, whom had never really thought about enjoying life and having fun, was having fun. He was enjoying life...and he felt free of worries for once. The constant worrying-vanquished. He was a new man, and he knew it. It was Sakura's doing above all. If she hadn't been there to annoy him, or pester him, or her pester her, he would've never glanced at the bright side. He would have never even realized apart of him trapped deep inside, pushing its way out, but only failing. It was this emerald-eyed beauty that have given him the strength to see it-and he owed her for it.

Sakura came out of the bathroom looking refreshed and as pretty as ever in her deep green summer dress. Syaoran had to admit that she looked like she could be a real star-a real singer.  
"Yukio-san!" Sakura exclaimed on the phone. "Yes, I am! Could I? We'll be doing a lot of touring and exploring for the next three days. Oh-of course!" Sakura's face was flushed with excitement. "Mm hm. That's perfect." She began drawing a map on the hotel room's pad. "That's just near here? Okay, well then I'll see you in awhile! Ciao."

Syaoran stopped her before she could rush out the door, "Can I come?"

Sakura gave him one of her most seductive grins, "Don't believe me, do you?"

"No...I do." Syaoran said as if he were surprised she thought that. "I'm just...bored."

"Oh alright."

"Thanks," he said. He locked the door behind them. "Where is it anyway?"

"Hm? Oh-it's a ten minute walk, so Yukio-san says." Sakura replied. She pressed the elevator button. A moment later the elevator arrived.

_Bing_. The elevator doors opened and they entered.

Sakura's stomach fluttered as they exited the hotel. She was making her career happen!

Syaoran walked quick. He could hear Sakura's shoes tapping as they walked. She was walking obviously, slower than usual, in order to preserve her shoes. She had a hard time walking in them.

"Take them off," he said suddenly.

"Nani?" **A.N.: "What?"**

"Your shoes-take them off." Syaoran said. "So you don't wreck them."

"Oh! Hold on..." Sakura held onto Syaoran's shoulder as she slid them off. "But now my feet will get dirty."

Syaoran rolled his eyes, "Fine-put your shoes back on."

Sakura, surprisingly, did what he told her to do, without question. She began to tap-walk again, but Syaoran was still standing. "Stop."

"Why? Now what?" She asked.

"You're gonna get your shoes wrecked..."

"I know, I know! But even you said to-"

"Here," he swept Sakura off her feet swiftly, in his arms.

"Aiyeee!" Sakura kicked. "No! I'll walk without them!"

"Shut up-your feet will get dirty. You said so yourself." Syaoran said without look at her.

People began pointing and staring at them, gawking. Sakura swore she heard the clicking of a camera. Sakura, as aware as she always was of what people though, hid her face behind her hand-drawn map, out of embarrassment.

"Where do I go now?" Syaoran asked.

Sakura looked at the map carefully, letting the heat cool down from her face. "Uh, just turn at the corner and go down about a block and a half. We should see a building that says JapanSound."

Syaoran turned the corner and walked straight for more than a block. He put Sakura down and turned his face to a building just down the street. "We're almost there. You can walk the rest."

Sakura looked at Syaoran's face. It was redder than when he was angry with her. "Thanks Syaoran-kun." Sakura blushed and smiled up at him.

Syaoran looked her in the eyes for the first time since he picked her up near the hotel. "A pleasure." He mumbled.

Sakura giggled, "Come on!" She grabbed his hand and raced down the sidewalk to a small building squeezed between two others. "We're already here! That was a little more than ten minutes though, don't ya think?"

Sakura burst through the front doors, holding Syaoran's hand, excited.

"Sakura-chan?" Yukio looked up from the front desk. He was sorting through some files with the woman sitting behind the desk. "You made it just in time!" Yukio grabbed the files he need and tucked them under his left arm. He turned to Syaoran, "And who, may I ask, is this dashing fellow?" He held out his right hand.

"Li Syaoran," Syaoran shook his hand loose from Sakura, turning red again as Yukio chuckled at him. Sakura immediately realized that Syaoran was trying to get free and let go, turning a slight pink.

"No, no. It's okay. I can see your hand is tied up at the moment." Yukio said. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I'm from China, so I doubt-"

"I might've seen you at the airport then! After all, you _are_ on the Eurotrip, am I right?" Yukio babbled on.

"Yeah."

"Didn't see you on the plane from Japan though. So you're friends with Sakura then?"

"I guess so..."

"You guess?" Sakura punched him and turned to Yukio after giving him a piercing glare. "So when do we begin?"

"Right away! Come with me." Yukio led them to a room down the hall on the left and to the right. "This is where we record. I wanna see what you got. Your friend, Syaoran, can stay in here, while you record in there-" he pointed through the glass. A microphone stood in the middle of the room through the glass. "Excited? You're about to record your first single..." Yukio turned to Sakura.

"Yes!"

"Then let's get our crew in here and get you warmed up and up to beat."

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Syaoran would've never thought that it could take so long just to record one single. The crew made her start over and over again. Every little mistake was picked on.

"Perfect!" Yukio exclaimed. "Perfect!"

Sakura ran into the recording room, her eyes sparkling. "Really? I did it? Are we done?"

"Do you wanna hear it?" Yukio winked.

One of the "crew" members pressed a few buttons and fidgeted with some volume and bass controls. He let the music rep through the entire room and beat at their heads, in rhythm with their hearts. Or were there hearts in rhythm with it?

**_Kokoro no naka no JIORAMA no machi wa  
Kibou no hikari de kirameiteiru  
Kagerou no hane de habataita yume wa  
Kimi to boku to no sagashi mono  
_**_**Shinjitsu wa itsumo  
hitomi ni hisondeiru aoku**_

_The city in the georama of the heart  
__Is sparkling with the light of hope  
__The dream that flew up with the wings of an ephemera  
__Is something that we search for  
The truth is always hiding in the eyes bluely_

**Bokura wa doko made yukou  
Futari no mirai ima sasuratte  
Bokura wa tabi wo tsuzukeru  
Eien no arika owari nai yume  
Kono te o hanasazu oikakete ikitai zutto**

**W**here shall we go up to  
Our future roams around now  
Aand we continue with our journey  
The place of eternity, and endless dream  
I want to chase after it without letting go of this hand  
forever

**TAAKOIZU iro no kokoro no umi de  
****Hikari no fune no AIZU ga kikoeru  
Hayaku ikanette hayaru omoi ni  
Nani mo kotoba wa iranai ne  
Itsuwari wa itsumo kotoba ni hisondeiru amaku **

_In the ocean in the turquoise-colored heart  
The signals of the ship of light can be heard  
I need to go faster, for this impatient feeling  
No words are needed  
A lie is always  
hiding in the words sweetly_

_**Futari de hitotsu ni narou  
**__**Okubyouna nami no ho mo dakishimete  
**__**Bokura wa tabi wo tsuzukeru  
Dekiau sukima owari nai yume  
Niji wo tsukinuketa  
Yakusoku no hikari wo mezasu**_

_Let the two of us become one  
Holding on to the coward waves  
We continue with our journey  
The space between our hug  
An endless dream  
Cutting through the rainbow  
Heading for the promised light_

_**Bokura wa doko made yukou  
Futari no mirai ima sasuratte  
Bokura wa tabi wo tsuzukeru  
Eien no arika owari nai yume  
Kono te o hanasazu oikakete ikitai zutto**_

_Where shall we go up to  
Our future roams around now  
And we continue with our journey  
The place of eternity, and endless dream  
I want to chase after it without letting go of this hand  
forever_

Syaoran was entranced by her voice. She could _really_ sing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Do you think it was okay?" Sakura asked, when they were back in their hotel room, later that night.

"Yeah-it was really good." Syaoran replied, as he stumbled into bed.

Sakura got under the covers as well, "You'd think the spa was their second home."

"Let them have a good time," Syaoran sighed, closing his eyes.

Sakura leaned on her hand, her elbow planted into her pillow, and looked at Syaoran. "What did you do? I mean back in Hong Kong, as a career."

Syaoran, still with his eyes closed, replied, "A government job-nothing interesting."

"Oh." Sakura said. "How about school? Are you going to some kind of university or college?"

"Yes."

"Me too."

"Why?" Syaoran opened his eyes and turned to her. "You don't need it. Your voice is your career. And your career is amazing. You're going to make it big..."

Sakura smiled, "Thanks, but I promised myself I'd do what my dad _would have_ thought best for me as well. Even if I do make it big, I want to fall back on-"

"Would have?"

Sakura fell back on her back again. "He died a year ago."

Syaoran's eyebrows furrowed, "How?"

"Archaeological dig and that stuff. You know..." Sakura said broadly.

Syaoran could tell she didn't want to get into any details. "I lost my father when I was around nine." He said. "It still hurts a lot."

Syaoran nodded, "Y-yeah."

"Will you be okay?" Syaoran looked concerned.

"Hm, I guess." Sakura leaned across Syaoran to turn off his lamp. "Goodnight."

"G'night Sakura." Syaoran said. He felt a pang in his stomach. "Ow! What was that for?"

Sakura laughed, "You said my name!"

Syaoran sighed, too tired to bite back. "I did, didn't I?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm getting sick of all these galleries!" Tomoyo said openly. "Now the Abbazi di Chiaravalle, that is _so_ worth the trip!"

Eriol agreed, "So is the Castello Storzesco."

Syaoran added, "The Duome is the heart of Milan. I heard it's a beautiful cathedral."

"It is," Sakura said, pointing at one of the windows in the galleria.

They all looked out of the dusty window to see a pale, yellowing cathedral, standing tall. It was the central attraction for many of the couples hanging around the area. It's thin towers were reaching to the sky. Arches and other various architectural ideas of beauty developed over the work of art. They gaped at the product of such genius.

Sachiko had seen the fallen quartet and scooped them away from the window. "We're going there next...patience."

"Oh, thank heavens!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "I thought we were all gonna rot in here."

Sakura laughed, "It isn't _that_ bad."

Tomoyo pointed to another row of contemporary paintings. All of them were something that resembled a huge, red ink splotch.

Sakura sighed, "So it is."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What do you mean we don't get to stay here that long anymore?" Sakura complained to Masuyo.

"Sorry, but we're taking up too much space in the hotel here. A lot of tourists come to this specific hotel, and we're making that difficult for them. A lot of the tourists are paying more money than required to get us out. We'll have to cancel the free day and change the packing day to the day we're supposed to study the culture." Masuyo confirmed.

Many of the tourists groaned.

"But-" he began again. "You now have one free day."

"Hustle!" Miroku yelled at the crowd, whistle in one hand.

Sachiko called the crowd back, "Not so fast! As an apology from our crew, we shall include free packages at the end of the tour. We will also give you a discount on the fee of this Eurotrip."

"Will this affect our other destination days?" Someone called out.

"Not at all. We'll just arrive early and leave earlier than planned, but it's the same quantity of time as before." Sachiko answered. "Now get going! Have fun while you're still here."

"Let's go eat lunch," Eriol suggested to Tomoyo, Sakura and Syaoran.

"You three go-I gotta do some stuff." Sakura said.

Syaoran watched Sakura race out of the lounge and into the summer-day rush, suspiciously. She was definitely up to something. He guessed it had to do with Yukio and the recording studio. Where else could she have business? Syaoran snuck past Tomoyo and Eriol as they argued about what restaurant they would eat at.

Syaoran saw Sakura racing to the intersection. He followed behind, aware of people glancing at his odd, espionage-like behavior. He scanned the area. Someone with a scar in the shape of an 'x' on his forehead was eyeing him suspiciously. He was standing beside a blonde girl in some weird costume and another teenage girl, who looked like she wanted to murder him. That was when Syaoran realized why, the guy, who was extremely muscular, was carrying a huge package-it looked like a sword.

Syaoran focused back on where Sakura went and realized she had disappeared.

"Hey you! Kid!" the guy with the scar called.

"W-what?"

"She went that way-" he pointed to the corner at the end of the intersection. "-She turned there."

"Thanks!" Syaoran said. "Nice sword, by the way"

"See?" the girl squealed. "People can tell it's a sword!"

"Shut up Remi!"

"Why don't you shut up, Breast Master?" she yelled.

The blonde girl giggled, "Breast Master..."

The Breast Master turned to the blonde girl, "Millenear, you shouldn't encourage her."

Millenear abruptly stopped laughing, "When is it going to be dawn?"

"Four hours," Breast Master answered.

Remi yelled again, "That's it! I can't wait for Deshwitat in this heat for four hours!"

Syaoran shrugged and ran to the intersection, jaywalked, and then turned the corner. He found Sakura and Yukio walking his way. He ran back around the corner and hid behind a stack of garbage bags.

"-wanna go to the heart of Milan?" Yukio's voice rose so that Syaoran could hear the end part.

"Sure," Sakura replied. They crossed the street. Syaoran crossed behind a whole bunch of people, so he couldn't be seen.

"That's some strange kid." Rett, or the Breast Master, said.

Millenear Shephild grinned, "I think it's cute."

Remi snorted, "What business does he have, following the poor girl around?"

"You know," Rett said. "I keep getting the feeling we're being watched."

Millenear gazed into blank space, "Impossible." **A.N.: Oh the irony. **

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Syaoran could see that Sakura and Yukio were simply admiring the architecture. Yukio seemed at a loss for words and Sakura was simply her chatty-self.

Suddenly, Yukio found, what he felt, were the right words to say.

"Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"May I do something?"

"What is it?" Sakura asked, looking back at him from the Duome.

"Close your eyes," he said nervously.

"Okay," Sakura shut her eyes.

Rett followed the amber-eyed guy. He was watching some pretty girl and another guy talk. They had stopped and he was stuttering something about eyes. Millenear leaned over Rett. Remi was kneeling right below Rett.

"What is he doing?" Rett asked.

"He's gonna kiss her," Millenear concluded.

"What a stupid way of-"

Syaoran had moved closer to Sakura and Yukio.

"What's _that_ guy doing?" Rett asked again.

"He wants to know what's going on-" Millenear began. "Oh! What if he sees them kissing?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yukio kissed Sakura. Sakura, taken by surprise, did the only thing she knew how to do: kiss back.

"Oh," Sakura commented as they separated.

"Oh indeed," Yukio laughed.

Sakura smiled, "What does this mean?"

Yukio grinned at her pink face, "What do you want it to mean?"

Sakura kissed Yukio and they embraced again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Millenear grabbed a shocked Syaoran by his sleeve, "Let's go."

**A.N.: Hmm...Sakura likes Yukio? Bwahahaha! cough cough That was a long Chapitre...Next stop for our gang is Davos, Switzerland. If you peeps really wanna know, I DID do some research to make this story happen. Okay I did A LOT of research. I couldn't help it. I had to look up connected hotels all over Europe that would make sense-I had to look up amazing sites! I had to look up all the tourist attractions and stuff too. I printed pretty pictures of all the amazing sightseeing areas too. That's how I was able to describe them a bit accurately than I would've been able to without that info. Call me pathetic, but at least I'm getting most of my facts right, right? Anyway, I haven't updated this story since like last year! I'm sorry it took so long, but I was going through my binder of rough drafts and I realized how much I miss writing fanfics, no matter how busy I am! Anyway, PLEASE R&R for every chapter...I worked REALLY hard!**


	4. Chapter Four: Arukidasu Kimi to ima

**Chapter Four: Arukidasu Kimi to ima ("In Search of the Light")**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, Yeah! I know I don't own CCS! --;;**

**A.N.: You will notice as well go along that many of the chapters use Japanese Romaji. These are taken from lyrics of a single song-I think. I'm 95 sure I can confirm I got all the Japanese from the song "Fukai Mori"-Inuyasha. You will also notice that I use songs throughout some later chapters and maybe bits and pieces in early chapters. I want to warn the readers that I do not make my own songs when they are needed and therefore do not in any way make claims to me having said I made them.**

_Dedications: This one goes out to my sister, who has a keen interest in whatever I write-though, I suspect it unhealthy, because she's even more amused when she can't understand a single word._

"So let me get this straight, you and Yukio are a couple? A unit? In a partnership-relationship sort of bond?" Tomoyo asked on the plane.

"Yeah," Sakura smiled. "We had brunch together today! He bought me this absolutely unnecessary ring…" Sakura waved her ring finger at Tomoyo. "He told me the typical 'I fell in love with you the moment I laid eyes on you' bit, but I know he means well. I think he means it with all his heart. Scratch that, I _know_ he means it."

"That's so sweet!" Tomoyo exclaimed, eyeing the ring.

"Uh huh," Sakura began. "He wants us to keep in almost non-stop contact." She rolled her eyes at this. "He gave me his cell phone, but only he'll call on it." She sighed at this point, staring at the cell in her curled hands. One of which had a finger that glinted with a new ring. "You know, his heart's always in the right place. He'd never try to hurt me. Maybe this time will be different for me. Maybe this time it'll work."

Tomoyo nodded, happy that Sakura was happy in this way for the first time since her first kiss. Her father had been there to experience basking in Sakura's happiness on that day. Tomoyo was happy for Sakura in a very conservative way. She did not altogether feel sure of this Yukio character. It was not that she believed Yukio would hurt Sakura, it was the fact that Tomoyo just knew when Sakura was mistaking her feelings.

Syaoran had heard just about enough about Yukio. It made him sick to his stomach to remember what he had almost thoroughly witnessed before. If it hadn't been for that blonde, Millenear, he would have seen those two lovebirds kiss for sure! Then he would have pounced on Yukio, accusing him of rape. Of course that would make only Syaoran look absurd. He vowed never to follow anyone ever again when it was not his business.

Sakura turned back into her and watched Syaoran scowl at his feet, his arms crossed.

"What's eating you?"

"Nothing," Syaoran said stubbornly. "What's it to you?"

"I don't know, I thought it'd be considerate to asked." Sakura shrugged. "You don't have to be a dumb ass about it."

"At least I'm not a pain in the ass."

"I am _not_ a pain in the a-" Sakura was cut off by Syaoran's immediate reply.

"Yukio did this and he did this as well! Oh and he's such a darling! Oh! Guess what the cutie bought me today? Oh yes and he bought me this as well…and this…oh, I almost forgot this!" Syaoran mimicked in an excessively high-pitched, "girly" voice.

Sakura's frown melted into a grin, "You're jealousss!"

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are-you're jealousss!" Sakura teased.

"I'M NOT!"

"Sure, yeah, whatever." Sakura looked down at her nails as if they had become much more interesting than Syaoran.

"I am not jealous of him and neither am I of you." Syaoran stated stiffly to he uninterested neutrality.

"Of course you're not jealous of me, Syaoran, that would require you to be gay." Sakura looked up from her nails, smirking a bit as she furthered into her sentence. "Are you telling me you're gay?"

"Argh! I'm not gay!"

"Syaoran's gay and jealousss! Syaoran's gay and jealousss!" Sakura sang with the most devilishly clear smile ever, planted on her face.

Sachiko stepped in front of the crowd of tourists demanding a silence where she could speak. Once it was established five minutes after, she began to discuss the week's plans.

"Hey everyone! Hope you slept well. However, we must get to business whether you did or did not. I find that it's best we not bore and tire you people with pure history and historical sites. We have confirmed a few sailboats we've rented out and we will be heading downtown for their latest festival tomorrow. However, we will also be checking out the chocolate factories later on and on the third day I'm sure you'll want to go skiing. The fourth day has been reserved as a group hike day-no choices involved in this one, guys. The last day is for rest and packing." Sachiko sighed as if she hadn't breathed much while talking. "Remember that curfew is at 11:30 p.m."

Sakura looked excited, "Come on, Syaoran! We've got to get a boat! I want to sail."

"I think I'll pass," Syaoran yawned.

"Oh please! I need a partner." Sakura prepared her puppy eyes.

Eriol interrupted their conversation, "Did you guys notice that this hotel is not the Four Seasons?"

"It's the Steigenberger Belvedere Hotel. This is the best they have here. Switzerland does not support any Four Seasons hotels." Tomoyo said a-matter-of-factly.

"We've got our very own female Takashi…in a not-so story telling way. Unless you'd like to prove me wrong." Sakura chuckled.

"I'm sure the idiot is fantasizing new tales to tell Chiharu on their honeymoon right now. The poor girl has enough to put up with, but she could be a little patient with him. After all, he _is_ entertaining."

Syaoran took advantage of the fact that he was completely lost on this topic, "I'll just be on my way up-"

"Oh no you don't!" Sakura grabbed his arm. "You're coming with me while Tomoyo and Eriol have some time alone upstairs."

"Wooo!" Sakura yelled against the windy current.

Syaoran had to admit that he was having a lot of fun as well, even if it _was_ all wasted on Sakura's amusement. As annoying as she was, Sakura brought out the best in Syaoran, as well as his worst. He only wished he knew more people like her back home. Maybe then he wouldn't have been sent on such a tedious 'vacation'. It had become somewhat of a burden, as well as time to let loose. Ironic it seems.

Sakura sniffed at the crisp air delightedly, "Are we allowed to jump in? It looks cold!"

"I guess you can-if you can swim!" Syaoran yelled back through the thunder of crashing waves and the whistling wind. It wasn't one of those serene, slightly windy and perfect days to go sailing, but it was beautiful anyway.

As they neared the dock they had left from, Syaoran heard a splash. He secured the boat to the dock thoroughly, before he himself plunged himself into the not quite icy water.

Syaoran swam until he glimpsed Sakura dive back under the cool and fluid world below him. It looked as though she was looking for something-perhaps even trying to reach the bottom of the lake. Syaoran dived under after her to see her reach for something glimmering, when he remembered he vowed not to follow her again, especially after catching her and Yukio going at it in the heart of Milan.

Syaoran didn't know whether Sakura grabbed the think she had been after because she suddenly screamed silent bubbles of pain and resurfaced as quickly as she could. From below, Syaoran could see her racing to the dock and hoisting herself onto the solid ground again. He followed her out and onto the dock, a little more than confused.

"You looked as thought you were in pain down there? Did your ears crack a little over the top or something?" he asked, innocently.

Sakura was clutching a glimmering necklace that she must have dropped. Instead of putting it back on she was glaring at Syaoran, "How dare you follow me!"

"Huh?"

"You followed me in Milan and you acted as if-as if! Ha! Don't you do it ever again-I swear I'll-I don't know what I'll do!" Sakura had no idea what she was yelling at him. She got up abruptly and stomped off the dock, leaving everything behind. Syaoran grabbed their towels and his backpack. He caught up with Sakura and threw the towel unevenly over her shoulders. He then made attempts to straighten it and dry her without actually touching her.

"Stop it!" Sakura pushed him away.

"How did you know, Sakura?" Syaoran asked softly, for he was to blame. "You never saw me, at all."

"I just know! That's not important!"

"It's as if you read my mind though! I was thinking it just at the time-" Syaoran's eyes were wide.

Sakura was turning redder and redder. Soon enough she stopped and stuffed her face right up to his, "I've never heard such a ridiculous comment in all my life!"

She stomped off with an air of guilt and anger.

Syaoran knew that look well enough to have realized how incredulous the results were. Perhaps she could read minds, after all, the guilty look that stung her anger was a little obvious in her eyes.

He needed the truth-and he would get it.

------------_Weee_--------------

"Boy, Syaoran really likes chocolate." Tomoyo commented as Syaoran bought his fifth box of chocolates. This time they were truffles. The first box had been from the company 'Pot of Gold', while the second was a quite random chocolate bunny. The third box was milk chocolate of both regular and white mixed in seashells. Of course, Syaoran's fourth box was not a box of chocolates. He had bought a small bucket of ice cream, which he had shared with Sakura, Tomoyo and Eriol.

"He must work out a lot!" Eriol stared at how the chocolate had no affect whatsoever on his body size or health.

"Well, at least we know why he's so active all the time. All that sugar! Honestly!" Sakura insulted him in the unkindest way possible.

"At least I'm not violent in my sleep! You have some issues to work out…" Syaoran glared at Sakura with utmost dislike.

"At least I don't eat lice!" Sakura gritted back.

"So you're saying you have lice, do you?"

"No!" Sakura gritted a little louder.

"I don't get it," Tomoyo tried to roll the coded sentences of hatred around in her head to decipher the underlying meaning.

"It means just what they said…" Eriol laughed a bit. "Last night Sakura punched Syaoran in the face while she was sleeping. It was because Syaoran was, curiously, digging through her hair or something." He explained this with curiosity loud and clear, in his voice. "I only woke up to the jumble to see Syaoran run to the washroom with a nosebleed."

"I see," Tomoyo chuckled.

Syaoran ignored the laughter and mockery, "Anyun wans um chochhh lai?" Syaoran held out the case of truffles.

Sakura took one, "Which translates to 'Kick me 'cause I'm a dunce'."

"Hey! Da nop wha I sah." Syaoran glared through a mouthful of chocolate.

"Uh huh," She threw the truffle she'd taken a bite out of at his face.

"Why you!" Syaoran attacked Sakura. "What a waste of a perfectly good truffle!"

Someone coughed in the phoniest manner ever. Everyone looked up to see Sachiko standing over their pitiful appearance. People from their tour were staring at them. The tour guide was staring at Syaoran and Sakura with the an incredulous look on his face.

Sachiko was bitter and embarrassed, "You know, this kind gentleman here is trying to give us a tour of this factory. I wish you'd please stop."

Sakura blushed and pushed Syaoran off of her. "I'm sooo sorry! It won't happen again! We swear!"

"Let's go then," Sachiko said without mercy and turned to the rest of the tour group. "Get a move on people!"

Everyone followed obediently, especially Syaoran and Sakura.

"You know what I love about this country?" Eriol broke the silence between their group.

"What?" Tomoyo humoured him.

"It's every child's dream country! We should raise our future children here." Eriol suggested, aware it might cause a bit of a lash out from Sakura. "Of course it might also be a totally nightmare for them-being so close to all their dreams, but us controlling them in their fetishes of chocolate."

Sakura latched onto him immediately and attacked him like a fly does to rotting garbage. **A.N. I was going to say shit.**

--------------_Censor? Why would I?_------------

"If you touch me while I sleep again you're going to be in for it." Sakura warned as she slid herself under the blanket and got comfortable.  
"Trust me."

"Whatever!" Syaoran said like a little schoolgirl. "It's not like I don't know what's going on."

"It's not like I ever understand a single word you ever say, Syaoran." Sakura mimicked with a little change.

"Bitch," Syaoran muttered under his breath.

"That's it!" Sakura screamed. "I'm gonna pound your face in!"

"Sakura, get off him!" Tomoyo raced to their bed. Eriol fell out of bed as well and crawled over to Sakura's side. He grabbed her and yanked her off of Syaoran.

"I'll sleep with you tonight, Sakura." Tomoyo tugged at Sakura. "We need to get sleep to go skiing tomorrow."

Eriol stiffly got into bed with Syaoran, "She's right."

"But he-" Sakura was cut off by Eriol's strict and extremely harsh voice.

"SLEEP!"

"Are you all ready?" Miroku's voice rang throughout the resort. "Okay, we're going to go out and tech you the basics of skiing. If you pass I'll let you go on to the next test, as presented by Masuyo. The third test is by Sachiko. If you pass all three tests we'll let you go off on your own on the ski hills. You will all be assigned certain colours at this point, which indicate which level hills you're allowed to ski on."

Sakura and Syaoran raced outside to get into line first, for the testing.

"To properly ski," Miroku began. "You need to plough like this!" He moved from side to side. "This ensures a slow, steady and controlled skiing trip."

Sakura caught on quickly, as did Syaoran, Eriol and Tomoyo. Soon enough they were skiing through their first obstacle and Sakura had passed with ease.

Miroku slapped her on her behind as she skied over to the next test. "Good job, hun!"

_He wouldn't dare do that to Tomoyo!_ Sakura thought angrily. She suddenly wished Yukio were there with her.

Masuyo was waiting at a nearby slope for whoever had passed the first test. There were quite a few. In fact, it was very pathetic if anyone had to stay behind to redo his or her test.

"Have any of you ever skied before?" he asked, curiously, realizing pretty much everyone had passed their test.

Many people besides Sakura, Tomoyo, Eriol and Syaoran shook their heads. Sakura, Tomoyo and Eriol skied together often and enjoyed it very much. They were very open in what sports they all participated in. A fit and active youth!

"Okay, so just those six know how to ski already?" Masuyo asked rhetorically. "So how about you six show us how to plough down that hill behind me and come to a full stop?" he suggested. "If you do it like you say you can, then you may pas right away to the next test."

Sakura and her group nodded while the other two in some other groups nodded as well. The six of the experienced raced to the pulley, which pulled them up the hill. Sakura reached the top first. She discovered that the slope had cartoon characters used for 'obstacles'. It was meant for them to go a certain way around the characters.

_Hmm_, Sakura thought. That's left, right, left, left, turn right, go straight and stop. Sakura pushed herself down the hill. It was time she moved onto the more complicated course.

Sachiko's impatient stance marked the bottom of the third test. It was near the chair lifts that led to the actual hills and slopes of the ski area.

Sakura waved to Sachiko cheerily. She looked like she was having an awful time. She grumpily pointed at the pulley and the slope. "You know what to do."

Sakura nodded and grabbed onto the pulley, only to find herself up on another hill. She stared it down, realizing that the next course was simply marked with red and blue flags. She had to go around one of the coloured flags, which were a series of wide and small ploughs.

"Which flags do I go around!" Sakura yelled to Sachiko.

"Red!" Sachiko yelled back.

Sakura obediently swerved swiftly around the red flags her and there and everywhere. Sachiko, thoroughly impressed by Sakura's skill, but didn't want to show it, stamped the ski tag on her coat's zipper in black.

Sachiko sniffed, "That means unlimited access to any hill except for the one over there." She pointed to a hill marked with red flags that looked like they meant danger. The flags stopped about halfway down the mountain and the rest gave way to open space and then a forest.

Sakura nodded, "No problem."

Not too long after, Tomoyo and Eriol skied up to her. She was waiting by the chair lifts for them.

Tomoyo moaned when she saw Sakura's stamp, "I only got blue!"

"Same here…" Eriol looked amused. "And I've been skiing longer than the both of you!"

Syaoran followed in from behind, "I got black." He was grumbling in a sort of show-off manner.

Sakura nodded and said gruffly, "Yeah" to make sure he didn't think she hadn't gotten black as well.

"Way to run it in, guys." Tomoyo glared.

"Well then-time to go to the family hill! It's a good place to start." Eriol skied over to the chair lifts they were stationary beside.

Tomoyo grabbed his arm cheerily.

Sakura and Syaoran skied to the waiting line for the next chair lift. They were next, after Tomoyo and Eriol.

"Ready?" one of the mechanics at the lift, asked. They must've been one of the first chair lift users of the day, because normally a mechanic didn't really warn you when a chair was coming at you.

Tomoyo and Eriol were lifted into the distance and up onto the sloping hills.

"Come on now!" the mechanic said, urging them forwards.

Sakura shifted forwards and Syaoran followed suit. When the man yelled, "Sit!" they both collapsed nervously onto the lift. Sakura's legs to float so weightlessly above the hills below them. She kicked her legs in mid air to get rid of the weightless feeling. As a result her skis entangled in Syaoran's. Sakura pulled her skis away, trying to gain control again. Once she had untangled her skis from his, she started kicking again.

"Stop that!" Syaoran twitched and let his voice seep with coldness.

"No."

"Oh crap…we have to-"

"OFF!" Sakura jumped, but sort of slid out from the chair lift, as the bar lifted. Syaoran stumbled beside her.

"Don't be so idiotic next time!" Syaoran spat and skied up to Tomoyo and Eriol. Sakura followed him bitterly, just as fast.

"There's our hill!" Tomoyo pointed to a moderately high hill. It was not very steep and looked extremely safe and warming. Or maybe it was the effect of all the families skiing down it. There were couples with children and couples without. They were all laughing, falling down, helping each other and even standing around, teaching someone else how to ski. It would have been comforting if Sakura hasn't suddenly been struck by loneliness at the sight of them-that is, until Syaoran challenged her to a race.

---------_Mummy!_---------

"They've been racing for hours now!" Tomoyo grimaced.

Eriol shrugged, "I suppose we'll have to wait until someone wins." He was unable to suggest any alternate form of stopping the two. They had been at it for hours and it didn't seem to be progressive races. The two would tie and then when one would win the other would catch them for having "cheated" and they'd re-race over and over again. However, when Eriol looked at it carefully he realized that both Syaoran and Sakura were so equally matched and determined that it didn't matter who won-it would end up being a waver of the spirit or fatigue.

----------_Boing_---------------

Sakura lifted her snow-covered goggles off of her eyes. "Syaoran, we've finished all the hills. We have to start back at the first-"

"There's still that steep mountain-side over there…not many people have been using that one. I don't think any have. Must be a challenge!" Syaoran declared, pointing at the red-flagged 'path' on the side at the end of the row of hills they could get to. There was a sign pointing at it that labelled it 'Death of Fate'.

"Syaoran we're not suppo-Syaoran? Syaoran! Syaoran-kun!" Sakura called in anguish.

Syaoran stopped dead in his ski-tracks, right at the tip that slid into the 'Death of Fate' hill's path, which seemed dark and gloomy, as well as hard to pinpoint. Syaoran turned his head to the side, only halfway so Sakura could see his profile. His mouth was twitching, uncontrollably, but not excessively.

"Wh-what did you say?"

"I said we're not-"

"What did you call me?" Syaoran turned all the way around and let 'Death of Fate' feel the brush off, facing his back.

"Syaoran…kun." Sakura blushed and skied forward to him, causing him to blush as well. "I-I'm sorry. Force of habit…I didn't mean to so affectionately…use your-which is to-I mean, well, if you wanted, but I'm sure-I think what I meant was that…" Sakura's words drifted off as she reached him, at the deadly edge.

"Right…" Syaoran mumbled. "I…"

"Hm?" Sakura fidgeted a bit, kicking her foot and then suddenly realizing she was wearing skis. It caused her right boot to unhook itself from its placement in the ski. She bent down to fix it, while Syaoran stared at her bent over figure, lined up along the edge with him. He touched her back gently to tell her they should go into the chalet, as it was cold, but Sakura-not expecting it of him-jumped up and fell over on her skis, totally breaking both boots off. She ended up tipping of the edge and stumbling down the steep hill. She couldn't stop herself from rolling down it. She knew she saw Syaoran ski after her, but where the hell was he? Why hadn't he stopped her yet? She just kept falling.

Sakura only stopped when she hit her head hard against something. With a thud, everything went dark and Syaoran came racing after her.

Syaoran found Sakura lying horizontally against one of the many trees that led into a forest that covered the whole mount centre. The base was at the end of the forest, which would go straight back into the skiing grounds. Syaoran had no idea how they could go back unless they went through the forest. He looked down at Sakura, who's ankle looked awkward and sprained. She was unconscious. He tired lifting her, but she remained limp.

Syaoran took off his green scarf and wrapped it around her face instead, to keep her ears and rosy cheeks even warmer. He then removed her foggy, cracked goggles and tossed them on the ground. They were of no use broken. Besides, keeping her comfortable would avoid those weird psychic or telepathic connections she had every once in a while, wouldn't it?

"I heard that." Sakura moaned. "I'm no psychic, nor do I read minds."

"Telepathy is reading minds."

"No it's not. Besides, I don't read anything. I head things."

"Hearing voices aren't a good sign…"

Sakura sighed, "I figure I'm like this because of that bump on my head from awhile back…it wasn't even that hard!"

"No it wasn't…how do you figure it's from that?" he asked.

"The pain comes from the bump, which I still seem to have a bit of on my head. I think it's because I was stressing about stuff…"

"Look, this isn't the place. Are you hurt anywhere?" Syaoran grabbed her ankle and examined it. "Is it sprained?"

"I'm still mad about you following me in Milan, don't try and avoid it. And no, it's not sprained, but it hurts all the same." Sakura pulled her ankle and way and used Syaoran to pull herself onto her feet. Syaoran had to be a slight support for her.

"Let's get out of this place." Syaoran shuddered stumbling through the darkened forest with Sakura. Sakura stumbled in the same ways he did, in suit with him over the tree roots, the rocks and the little snow that had reached inside the dense forest.

It was 9:30 before they finally stopped to take a break. Syaoran's watch was still in good working condition, but their bodies were weary and they needed to stop.

"They'll be looking for us. We can stop." He insisted.

"I want to sleep though…"

"Er, I don't think that is possible." He tried reasoning.

Sakura had already bundled herself up and lied down on the floor, in front of a tree, absorbing whatever warmth it had too. Syaoran lifted her up easily and placed her in his arms as he lay against the tree instead, keeping Sakura warm with his body warmth.

"Sakura, I'm sorry for having not listened to you. I knew it was wrong to go to that hill-I knew we weren't supposed to. I feel guilty because it's my fault. I wanted to scare you." Syaoran admitted to her delicious hair.

"Hm? It's okay." Sakura shifted in his arms and turned in them. She faced his chest instead and snuggled into it. He chuckled because he was a little ticklish. "Promise not to be gone in the morning?" She was so innocent.

"I promise," Syaoran swore sincerely.

"Pinky promise?" Sakura held out her pinky, lifting her face from his chest and wrinkling her nose.

"I pinky promise." Syaoran hooked his pinky with hers. They didn't let go at all that night. Instead they fell asleep with each other's pinkies hooked and grasping each other for warmth, in a loving manner. This would be the beginning of an astronomical relationshi-

"Syaoran, stop snoring."

Syaoran grumbled, "I'm not."

Sakura kicked him, "You were! OW!"

"Stop kicking me…"

"Stop twisting my pinky…"

Well, at least it would be a decent relationship.

**A.N.: grimaces> Yes...it took awhile. Is anyone even reading this, I wonder? Psh. **


	5. Chapter Five:Yakusoku no Hikari o Mezasu

**Chapter Five: Yakusoku no Hikari o Mezasu ("Heading for the Promised Light")  
**

_Disclaimer: I OWN CCS! There, ha! I defy you, blasted disclaimer! Muahahaha--whimper Okay, I'm sorry! I don't, I don't! I don't own CCS! I do NOT own CCS! I don't…DON'T HURT ME._

"I refuse to believe this could happen to us. Especially to my poor, beloved Sakura." Tomoyo said stiffly, yet her lip quivered every once in awhile. "It makes no sense! They were with us one minute and then they went off to race every single hill_again_. We assumed they'd come back by now!"

The officer scribbled something down onto his notepad and nodded at Tomoyo. "I'm sorry that we haven't found a trace of them on the hills so far, but I'm sure we can check once more. If we again, turn up with nothing, then we'll report it as a missing person's case. Who else was with her?"

"Wait a second!" Sachiko patted the officer to indicate she needed to talk to Tomoyo. "You said they went to race on practically every single hill. Did you mean it? Even the one I specifically told everyone not to go down?"

Tomoyo shook her head. "Sakura would never…that LI! I swear if he's pushed her down it or something, I'll-"

Sachiko sighed, "If they have gone down it, then we must get there fast. If the cold hasn't gotten to them then the obstacle will have. That slope is dangerous. It's the reason it's been closed down. The resort is having trouble with ice formation as well. This is NOT good."

"Are you telling me that hill is about as much covered in snow as it is in ice?" Eriol held in his gasp.

"Even worse, there is a wild wood halfway down it that could lose even the most direction-wise people. They can also risk an avalanche. That slope is, after all, the steepest they have here." Sachiko informed. She nodded at the officer, "I think we should get everyone there. _Everyone_-we'll need them."

----------_OH NO!_-----------

"It's still dark…" Sakura moaned as she trudged behind Syaoran's weary, almost-dragged body. She rubbed her eyes again, "Why couldn't we stay back there for awhile more? I needed that sleep if we are to survive."

"If we are to survive," Syaoran corrected. "We have to get out of here before we either freeze or starve to death. It's been getting colder and my stomach feels emptier and emptier." Syaoran sighed. "Besides it says 9 a.m. on your watch and it seems to be working fine. By now there has to be a bunch of people out looking for us. At least, I hope they are."

"You know, you're right!" Sakura began, grumbling.

Syaoran smiled a bit until she continued.

"I _am_ getting hungrier."

"You're impossible to understand!" He groaned, in disgust.

"What?" Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"I'm saying that if we get hungry enough, I offer to eat you." Syaoran smirked.

Sakura stared at him in disbelief, seeing only a bit of his smirk, struggling to walk behind him.

"You're disgusting!" Sakura kicked him softly. Well, softer compared to usual. Syaoran noticed.

"You okay?"

"Not really, I'm thinking of tender cooked chicken on a plate beside mashed potatoes and gravy. Over top of that I can't help thinking about how much I'm craving sushi as well and…BUBBLE TEA! Oh! And I want some dim-" Sakura was cut off by Syaoran's chuckle. "What?"

"You sound like Miroku talking about women…"

"I am NOT a lecher!" Sakura cried indignantly, but laughed right after.

"Ah, but you're quite a bimbo." He said.

Sakura stopped in her tracks. "Pfft!"

Syaoran looked back and grabbed her arm, dragging her onwards. "If the cold doesn't kill me or I don't stave to death, I'm sure your protests and stupid remarks will strike me down."

Sakura gave an innocent whimper, "I'm not that bad…am I?" She let Syaoran continue to pull her. Eventually, however, she was in step with him and he just held onto her awkwardly. Sakura loosened her wrist from his grip and instead let her hand slip into his.

Syaoran looked at her in surprise, but she simply smiled, "We're going to be okay, right?"

He nodded in response.

Sakura looked down at her feet as they walked side by side. She realized she was making an attempt to flirt with him at the same time. Why in the world! It was unlike her to feel those junior high butterflies again when she held a boy's hand for the first time. She had a boyfriend! What was she doing? She stared at their interlocked hands. They fit so perfectly.

Syaoran felt Sakura's hand quiver in his. He looked at her. Her eyes were hard to read and misty green. He didn't want to get lost in them as he had so many times before. Many of those times Sakura noticed and got annoyed.

"Syaoran?" Sakura's small voice trembled.

"Mm?"

"Do you have a girlfriend back home?"

It was such an innocent, but abrupt question that Syaoran almost tripped over little more than a pebble. Sakura, for once, was steady and pulled him to her in time.

He laughed, "Not really. I have a cousin who thinks I'm her fiancé. Does that count?"

"Hmm, is she pretty?"

"Uh…I don't really notice girls much, back home. But if I had to decide I'd say yes, she's very pretty. I wouldn't hesitate to say she's beautiful. Aren't all girls beautiful in their own way?" Syaoran replied, smoothly. He looked down at Sakura while he finished his thought. She was beautiful herself but he'd _never_ tell her that.

As if reading his mind, Sakura smiled. "And what about me?"

"Well you aren't exactly a girl, are you?" Syaoran snickered.

Sakura scowled. "What's her name?"

"Meilin-and why the sudden interest?"

"I need to pass the time somehow or I'll keep thinking about my empty stomach. Might as well make friendly conversation, right? As I have totally run out of disses for now…"

"No, I think you still have plenty." Syaoran scowled back.

Sakura ignored it, "What about other family?"

"What about them?"

"Enlighten me…"

"Well, my dad died when I was still around ten or eleven. It's been awhile. My mother however, is as healthy as usual and spends most of her time trying to get all my sisters married. She's good at that. I think we're very similar-her and I-but we never really clicked. So she spends most of her time preparing the future of her daughters." Syaoran was able to tell Sakura this without hesitation. It seemed the right thing. It felt right. "I have four sisters, of course. Only two are married and one is engaged. The youngest of my sisters, well she's quite a piece of work…she even has a boyfriend, but refuses to marry him until-well, I don't really know why she isn't! I never really thought about it. Anyway, they'd love you!"

"Why?" Sakura asked, smiling warmly.

"They're crazy like that."

"Hey!" Sakura protested.

"I also have the elders…"

"Who?" Sakura's ears pricked at the mention.

"They are the oldest of the Li family. Well, the oldest men of the Li family. Our family is huge, and although our line is the 'direct' one from our oldest ancestor, Clow Reed, we need to be ensured as the rightful inheritor of the wealth of the Li family that has been passed down for ages. They make the biggest decisions, you could say. Or approve ours." Syaoran smiled. "I've already made sure my sisters are well off with their husbands or husbands to be. Everything is going well for me, you could say."

"What happens after they're all married?" Sakura had to ask.

"I suppose I will have to find myself a wife and support my mother, despite her independence. The male role is eminent in the Li family. I have to at least seem like I'm there for her just in case she breaks down or something, which I doubt, will happen. Anyway, I'll probably just end up marrying Meilin, as she wishes." He finished, honestly.

"Even if you don't want to?" Sakura leaned towards him.

"If I can't find anyone else."

"Oh," Sakura said.

"What about you? What of your family, Sakura?" Syaoran asked.

"Oh, me! Hmm, well next to Touya-my brother-Tomoyo is my only family. She's so faithful and kind. I've known her since grade school. I can't even remember my mother. It's sad, really. Nadesico was her name. She was beautiful. As for my brother, he's such a pain! But I suppose I can live with it. I mean, I have for so long. It's a good thing he doesn't live with me anymore. You'd think for a gay guy he'd be a bit more sensitive to his little sister!"

"Huh!" Syaoran's face burned red. "G-gay!"

"Yes, gay! Gay, homosexual, one who has an attraction for their own sex." Sakura replied. "I don't mind much. He _really_ loves his best friend." Sakura laughed. "It's awkward though, 'cause I used to have a crush on his best friend. Yukito-kun is definitely a dreamy man."

"Must be." Syaoran's eyes were wide.

"It was Yukito-kun that told me I was only crushing on him and not in love with him. He told me I'd find my number one, one day, but that he wasn't that special guy. He was right. I don't know what came over me! It is still so embarrassing thinking about it. I was only just a little girl. Maybe twelve?" Sakura sighed. "I'm still looking for my number one though. I wish…it were easier."

"What about Yukio? I thought you thought he was the one…" Syaoran objected.

Sakura smiled wearily at Syaoran, "Sometimes you have to trust your heart. When I think about I think Yukio is the one. I love him, but when I feel my heart, I feel incomplete still. Syaoran, Yukio is not my number one."

_You are_, Sakura thought. Her face turned red, suddenly. She was flustered. _What am I thinking! How could that be?_ This was ridiculous. She was thinking insane, unintentional thoughts.

"Your face is screwed up," Syaoran stated.

"Oh-uh-I…" Sakura's face suddenly went expressionless.

"Hmm, seems like it's always screwed up, isn't it?" Syaoran chuckled.

Sakura grunted at him.

"A horse too? I didn't think…"

"'Cause you have nothing to think with!" Sakura attacked him.

"OW!" Syaoran winced, "Get off of-"

-------------_Feisty_------------

"They found some broken skis and another pair of unclipped skis at the mouth of the long strip of forest, running down that slope." Sachiko informed Tomoyo and Eriol, both of whom were still sitting nervously in the chalet, with cold mugs of 'hot chocolate'.

"Does that mean that they are alive?" Tomoyo summed up the courage to ask. The hints of their trail or the path they travelled meant nothing to her. She wanted the two of them out of that forest and as soon as possible.

"Oh, Tomoyo!" Sachiko sympathized. She had to admit she was almost as worried as Tomoyo. Sachiko had grown fond of their group, particularly of Sakura and Syaoran's constant commotion-it brought the group to life. "Of course it means they are alive!" Sachiko hugged Tomoyo now, letting Tomoyo finally breaking down, discharging her fears and her tears. "It's okay, I'm sure it'll be okay. The search team using the snowmobiles has indicated that the two of them were smart enough to realize that they could keep warm inside the forest. We're all assuming they are going to travel to the outside. The most we can do is keep a helicopter on watch and wait at each forest opening, although there is only one, considering the slope aims downhill."

Tomoyo sighed, in slight relief, through her hiccups. "I've never felt such distress. I guess it's because I've known Sakura a very long time. She's like my sister and, in ways; I like to play the role of her mother. I can't lose her…"

"You won't." Eriol had finally spoken through the tears and anguish, regarding the missing tourists and their friends. "They will reach the promised light."

-----------_Back to the couple_------------

"My feet hurt like hell," Sakura muttered, clutching Syaoran's sleeve, as they stumbled onward.

"Complaining doesn't help!" Syaoran snapped.

"What time is it?" Sakura ignored him.

"You have a watch!"

"I'm too lazy to lift my arm…" She smiled, oblivious to Syaoran's annoyance.

"Ugh!" He grabbed her arm; "It's five past noon."

"I'm hungry," Sakura remarked, almost as lazily as she had smiled.

"I know. You've only stated the obvious one hundred times now." Syaoran's head spun with Sakura's complaints. Realizaton dawned on him, "What are you really trying to say?"

"Huh?"

"You wouldn't be telling me and asking me the same things over and over again, if you did not have something else you really wanted to ask. You're trying to say something, but it won't come out. What is it?" Syaoran said hastily.

"Stop being such a know-it-all," Sakura said coldly. "It's not like I _want_ to tell you."

"WHAT is it?" Syaoran stopped and faced Sakura, with a solemn face.

"Do you really want to know?"

"I demand to know."

"Okay…" Sakura's face turned red. "Well, I…come closer."

"There's no one here to hear you." Syaoran said stubbornly.

"How do you know it won't echo!" She demanded.

"Nevermind," Syaoran brought his face dangerously close to hers. He found himself staring at Sakura's lips at such a close proximity. Why would his eyes do this to him?

"I…"

"Yes?"

"I-" Sakura smiled, sheepishly, but there was hint of mischief. "I have to go pee!"

"Jesus!"

------------------_Poor Tomoyo_-----------------

"The search crew is inviting you to wait near the side of the forest. If she comes out at the time they predict, I'm sure you are the first person she wants to see again." Sachiko grabbed Tomoyo's hand, adoringly, as a friend.

Tomoyo nodded and grabbed her jacket. She would certainly be the first person Sakura would see, as well as the last. _There is honestly no hope for that idiot._

Tomoyo had calmed down since the last piece of news. She was taking it rather well, especially if they were not sure Sakura and Syaoran would make it out at all.

_I'll give her a piece of a mind when that stupid woman comes out again. Stupid and cruel! How dare she? I'll never let go of her…never._

--------------_Possessive_--------------

"I could so do with some food right now!" Sakura looked up at the sky and clasped her hands together in prayer. "If anyone's listening up there, please, please, please-" Sakura began.

"Here!" Syaoran thrust a small pouch of truffles at Sakura.

"You brought them with you?" Sakura observed the pouch in the center of her palm.

Syaoran nodded, "I didn't want us to use them up right away so I saved them for desperation."

"Here take these two," Sakura split the four truffles that rolled out of the pouch. Sakura popped a truffle into her mouth savouring it. After she was done, she stared at her watch. "We've been walking for five hours."

"It's three?" Syaoran turned his head to her abruptly. "Are they searching for us or not?"

"Of course they are, they can't be that slow!" Sakura said hesitantly. "If we hear d helicopter or two though, I would be a bit more confident."

Syaoran sighed, miserably, "I haven't even heard a single bird chirp."

------------------_Da...na...na...na!_-------------------

Tomoyo was holding Sakura's purse when the cell phone rang. Tomoyo answered, unsure.

"Hello? Sakura? Where have you been? I have been calling you for an hour now!" Yukio's voice greeted Tomoyo, concerned.

"It's Tomoyo, Yukio, not Sakura."

Tomoyo explained to Yukio what had happened, what reports were given, what was happening currently and at what approximate time the search and rescue crew had the two should emerge from the forest, excluding the lost factor or sleep, except for the evening before.

"W-will she be alright? Do you know? How could they let this happen?" He replied to the blunt comments Tomoyo made.

"Only if I'm there for her, in which case I must leave you hanging. When you next get a call from this cell, it will be Sakura, not me." She replied, dryly.

"Ja ne."

_Oh Sakura, please hurry up! Your foolish friends need you, almost as much as I do._

-------------------_Hurry Up!_-------------------

It took Sakura awhile to realize the echoing within the depths of her mind were not symptoms of a schizophrenic's mind. She knew clearly that it was Tomoyo calling to her, hoping somehow, somewhere Sakura could hear her and maybe even feel her. A pang of concern ran through Sakura's veins. Oh, she could most definitely feel her best friend's presence; in fact, she could feel Tomoyo's entire being at that moment in time.

Syaoran stared at Sakura, who had stopped walking. He wondered what had happened, because she had stopped really quite suddenly, as if something had hit her, interrupting her thoughts. Just as abruptly, Sakura grabbed his wrist and pulled him, at a run.

"We're almost there! I can feel Tomoyo!" Sakura said excitedly. She strayed from their original path, which would have led them to a side of the forest, requiring them to climb quite a ways up. They, however, did not know this. All they-Sakura-knew was that Tomoyo was outside of this horrid forest, waiting for her; wanting to wrap her arms around her best friend and her only family.

"Sakura---" Syaoran stumbled after her, forcefully.

"TOMOYO!" Sakura shouted, tears streaming down her face. Light was beginning to shine through at their feet, or the blur of their feet. "TOMOYO! Syaoran, faster! I can see the light! We're going to make it! TOMOYO!"

----------------_Silly_----------------

Tomoyo thought it silly that her prayers would be answered so directly. She thought she might have to endure another hour of worry and a few more complications, but oddly enough, she kept hearing Sakura's voice callings to her. At first she was completely sure it was just her imagination, but then Eriol's hand tightened around hers and she knew she was not alone in her hallucinations, or rather, reality.

"TOMOYO!" Sakura's voice rang out, louder than ever, from within the forest.

Soon after the shout, two grubby, worn out friends ran out of the forest. One was in the lead, holding the other with one hand. It was Sakura.

Sakura ran to Tomoyo, shoving herself onto her, keeping her hand around Syaoran's wrist, who was pushed here and there, still attached to Sakura.

"Thank God for you, Tomoyo! If you hadn't called, I don't know what I would have done! It was until I heard you that I realized you were on our right, while we were heading for the left!" Sakura exclaimed, oblivious to the fact that she had revealed her abilities.

Tomoyo smiled and hugged Sakura, obviously noticing her abilities, but mostly her hand clamped around Syaoran's wrist, possessively. "You need to get yourself checked."

Syaoran smiled triumphantly, "Hah."

"Well he does too! I mean we were both in there…freezing, hungry and all!" Sakura pointed at her ankle, "AND IT HURTS."

"Hmm," Tomoyo inspected. "You'll have to have that checked too."

A man from one of the snowmobiles pushed them towards one of the vehicles, for both Sakura and Syaoran to get into. He wrapped them both in a blanket.

Both Sakura and Syaoran got into the vehicle, under the blanket, holding each other.

Tomoyo smiled, worry plastered on her face, "Honestly Sakura, you could have told me you could hear my thoughts." She laughed when she saw Sakura go paler than she already was. "No worries-it is not a normal trait to have, but you must talk to a special doctor about it. I think I worry about you too much for my own good. You ought to stay out of trouble so I can relax for once."

Sakura sighed, "Thank you, Tomoyo. I love you so much!"

Tomoyo nodded and remembered something. She dug through Sakura's purse and handed her the cell phone. "Yukio called. He's worried about you. As soon as you get the chance, call him. He really needs to hear your voice again, as beautiful as it is."

"Oh, I—alright." Sakura said brokenly. A look of guilt seemed to creep up on her face, distorting her eyes and causing Tomoyo a little more grief. She was _very_ worried about her dear friend.

The vehicle drove off and Tomoyo and Eriol stood, left behind, contemplating.

"Sakura wants to tell Yukio she doesn't love him…face to face." She decided to say out loud. "And she may not know it herself, but she will, otherwise doom herself to unhappiness."

"What are you on about?" Eriol asked, escaping from his own, simple manly musings.

"Sakura will be hurt and I'm afraid for her, Eriol."

**A.N.: When I first wrote the rough copy for this fan fiction, I remember crying out in anguish at the pain in my wrist. I had hand written five chapters straight. I was a crazy child during my boring, eventless summer. That's what happens when I do not travel, which I usually do every other year. Unfortunate, how that won't happen this summer…well it's not very probable, anyway, as I'll be preparing myself for university and what it'll cost me. Ouchie.**


End file.
